Carpenter Elementary Neighborhood to get Facelift
Midland Daily News
Hundreds of volunteers are preparing to help homeowners in one Midland neighborhood when the Midland County Habitat for Humanity Neighborhood
Revitalization Initiative starts on Aug. 6.
Crews will work on about 22 houses in the area of Carpenter Elementary School.
This is the third year that The Dow Chemical Co. has partnered with the local Habitat affiliate to support the project, both financially and with
volunteers.
It also is the second year of a matching grant program with the Midland Area Community Foundation. Habitat had the opportunity to raise $25,000 for the
project and have the foundation match that with up to another $25,000.
The effort aims to revitalize the neighborhood through improvements to the exteriors of homes. The location was picked because of the income levels in the
neighborhood and the older homes there.
“We have everything from gutter work to roof repairs to front porch replacements to windows — the whole gamut,” said Jennifer Parks, Habitat’s
executive director.
The labor comes from community, corporate and church volunteers, with an estimated 500 people expected to help out during the weeklong project.
“When you get there and see it on a day-to-day basis and see the outpouring of support and pride they take in helping others, it’s amazing,” Parks said.
Among the volunteers will be teams from Dow.
“We encourage our employees to volunteer for projects like Habitat for Humanity because we truly believe the success of our company is dependent upon
the success of the communities in which Dow operates,” said Rich Wells, Dow vice president and site director for Michigan Operations. “It is a powerful
experience for our employees to see the impact they can have on a homeowner’s quality of life, simply by volunteering a few hours of their time and
talent.”
Parks said homeowners can be hesitant when first approached about the exterior improvements, but open up as they learn more about the project and
build a trust with the organization. Homeowners have said the work was necessary but they couldn’t afford the investments, Parks said.
“They are overwhelmingly thankful,” she said.
The homeowners pay a portion of the cost of materials to give them a buy-in to the project, but the labor is provided free.
There are still volunteer opportunities available if anyone is interested. People can call Habitat at (989) 496-0900 to get involved.