Impact Huntsville
Date set for
youth groups to help repair homes
Leslie Howland
Staff Reporter
Local youth
groups mark your calendars for Impact Huntsville scheduled for April 14.
Huntsville’s Promise Faith in Action Committee, along with area church youth
directors, met Wednesday evening to organize and plan the 2007 event.
Impact Huntsville is a way for local high school youth groups to spend one day
working together in teams to help repair, clean or update safety features in
homes of local residents.
In the past, youth groups have repaired roofing, built wheelchair ramps, cleaned
overgrown yards and painted houses.
“We’re looking at repairing 12 to 15 houses and raise money to buy materials to
fix homes,” said committee chairman Chris Mahlen.
Organizers are seeking homes in need of repair from low-income, elderly or
disabled residents. Homes must be owned by the residents.
People interested in having their home repaired should contact Huntsville’s
Promise or fill out a housing assistance form at the Good Shepherd Mission.
Organizers are compiling a list for groups to work on, but there is no guarantee
the home will be repaired.
Teams consist of three to four students and one adult leader from their church.
Teams will work together with a site coordinator to make repairs.
Site coordinators are individuals with home repair skills who will assist during
the initial site visit, prepare site work description, list needed materials,
oversee repairs and serve as the contact person for the site.
Other ways for people to get involved include helping prepare or deliver lunches
to work sites, helping at the evening block party or by making a donation to
purchase materials.
“We can paint houses for not a lot of money, but when you start making
structural repairs the cost of lumber is very expensive,” Mahlen said. “Last
year we completely removed a roof off of a home and rebuilt a bathroom.”
The block party is a time for teams to celebrate together their accomplishments.
“The purpose is for the youth to remember they weren’t the only ones working on
a home today, there were hundreds of others people also fixing houses,” Mahlen
said.
There is no cost to participate in Impact Huntsville.
For more information, contact Scott Atnip at (936) 291-5950.
Huntsville Item, 01.26.07
Huntsville's Promise