Everything Home Repairs Ministries is involved with is much more than a project, job site or task. The wheelchair ramps built, hot water tanks installed, roofs fixed, floors redone and foundations reinforced are repairing hearts as much as they are people’s homes.
Starting as a local church ministry in 2002, Home Repairs now serves vulnerable homeowners with critical home repairs in communities throughout metro Atlanta and has helped hundreds of homeowners to date.
We’re always looking for volunteers of all skill levels to be involved, and you can learn more about that here.
In the meantime, here’s a look back at some of our favorite stories from the past few years.
Ms. Ingram’s Story (July 2019)
When we met Ms. Ingram, she was in the midst of a painful period of suffering. She was a widow of two years and shortly after her husband’s death, she went blind. Then, her roof started leaking and part of her ceiling fell in.
After four surgeries, her vision was restored, but the problems with her house remained.
That’s where, through volunteers and supporters, Home Repairs came alongside Ms. Ingram.
An inspection revealed that some of the biggest issues with her home were that her roof was improperly built and had large gaps. She also had an unsafe deck. So representatives from five churches helped strip the roof, rebuilt where the fascia boards were attached, installed long-life shingles and repaired and reinforced her deck.
“This is the biggest blessing I’ve ever received in my life and carries heavy on my heart to pass this blessing forward,” Ms. Ingram said.
A ramp gave this military veteran the accessibility he needed (Nov. 2021)
Mark, a military veteran and tractor-trailer driver, found Home Repairs after losing his leg in a serious accident in early 2021.
Further medical complications, including a severe case of COVID and infections to incisions from his surgeries, made him even more worried about how he’d get in and out of his home after his hospitalization.
“It has a very steep walkway going up to the road and wasn’t ADA accessible for me,” Mark said.
Mark’s son, who does non-emergency medical transportation, had heard about Home Repairs and made a call. While Mark was in rehab for two weeks, a Home Repairs team built a ramp in front of the house from the front door down to his walkway.
“It was a very well-built ramp, and I was really impressed with the workmanship they put into it,” Mark said. “I am so grateful they were willing to do that for me. I thank the Lord every day for the people who have been helping me get through this time, and I’m very thankful for Home Repairs’ contributions to my quality of life.”
Disabled widower asks for help and receives better than expected (Feb. 2022)
We’re grateful to have had the opportunity to serve Shane in 2021, as well. He’d been through a lot of struggles over the years but has shown great perseverance.
In 1997, he almost died in a car accident. And in 2007, he fell from 30 feet at work, breaking his back and both his legs. He had to have multiple surgeries including open-heart surgery over the next four years.
Then the unimaginable happened.
“The next year, I lost my wife, just two months after our son was born,” Shane said.
Through the tragedy, medical issues and financial hardships, he tried to remain as positive as possible, raising both a son and daughter on his own and trying to keep up with the home.
“I’ve done everything by myself the best I could,” Shane said. “You go without sometimes; that’s just life – but you don’t complain when you have a roof over your head. My kids have had holes in their shoes, and I’ve had to wait four months for a disability check just so that I could pay to get them new ones. But they never complained.”
Having to use a wheelchair and with the home becoming more than he could manage on his own, he found Home Repairs and asked for help, despite his initial hesitation.
“I’ve been told ‘no’ so much in life and have tried to get help before,” he said. “But when I first found out about Home Repairs, something in me just said ‘just ask’. I called, and I was surprised at how quickly they were able to come out.
“And now, they’ve helped me more than anyone.”
What does a kitchen sink mean to you? (Sept. 2021)
When Kendra reached out to Home Repairs in 2021, she was a single mother of an 11-year-old son and had been without a kitchen sink or a dishwasher for almost a year.
In November 2020, a water leak in the kitchen caused her cabinets to fill with mold. They had to use the bathroom sink to do dishes and ate off of paper plates.
The situation was wearing on her.
“When the water problem happened, I didn’t have the money to fix it. I just felt defeated in a lot of ways,” Kendra said. “There are a lot of stresses as a single mom living paycheck-to-paycheck. Staying in my home was a struggle, and I certainly wasn’t able to have any home repairs done, even though they were greatly needed.”
Her insurance company did give her money for the repairs, but it was stolen by the contractor she hired to fix it. Then, she learned about Home Repairs from a friend.
Home Repairs rallied volunteers and a local Lowes to help with the funds and the labor. Within two weeks, she had her kitchen back and enjoyed the interactions and people she met.
“They laughed and talked with me, and even though they were volunteers, they provided quality, professional work – I loved all of them,” Kendra said. “Having them come in and help has given both me and my son a better outlook on life.
“[My experience with Home Repairs] reinforces that there are good people in the world. They changed mine and my son’s lives.”
