On a balmy November Saturday, two Jacksonville families’ lives got a little better.
Both received wheelchair ramps thanks to Builders Care volunteers.
There are five members in Billy Land’s household. Billy, 39, recently suffered two strokes and has a history of seizures. His wife and a 9-year-old daughter have cystic fibrosis. His 15-year-old daughter has a thyroid disorder.
Land has not been able to return to work. Being dependent on a wheelchair has limited his mobility, and getting to and from the car for doctor and therapy appointments is increasingly difficult.
Thanks to Pendelton Construction, Sandifer Custom Homes and other volunteers, Land’s home now has a ramp enabling him to enter and leave the home more readily. At the end of the project, Land was able to join the work crew for lunch.
The same day, in another neighborhood, volunteers from Phillip Self and the crew from Crown Construction built a ramp on the Jay Fussell home.
Fussell’s debilitating arthritis and other medical conditions have limited his mobility. He uses a cane or a walker, and more frequently a wheelchair. Access in and out of the home became more challenging.
“Builders Care projects range from whole house restorations to small projects, but all are designed to improve the quality of life for the home’s residents,” said Builders Care Executive Director Matt Wilford. “We all take our ability to get in and out of our homes for granted, but without warning or invitation, circumstances can change all that.” Builders Care extends a special thank you to the volunteers for their effort and a few hours on a Saturday greatly improved the quality of life for the Land and Fussell families.
Builders Care, the charitable arm of the Northeast Florida Builders Association, is a not-for-profit construction agent whose mission is to reduce or eliminate substandard housing in the Jacksonville area. You can help by donating time, materials and funding to help the most vulnerable in our community. Visit online at www.builderscare.org or call (904) 727-3443.