364 days of intensive planning and outreach are about to translate into one day of massive home repairs delivered at no cost to 65 local, low-income families and the community centers that serve them. Saturday, May 7 marks the 29th annual HomeFront Day across more than 54 cities in CT & NY. In all, 2,000 volunteers from 65 local faith communities, corporations and civic groups figure to answer the prayers of local, older adults living on fixed incomes, single-parent households, persons with disabilities and low-income families facing illness or unemployment. Generous building material donors, grantors, and other financial backers have answered the call, backing this monumental pro bono, hands on repair blitz.
This year, a partnership with The Home Depot Foundation (THDF) takes HomeFront’s low-income veteran housing response to a whole new level. The Home Depot Foundation funds projects that improve the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families. More than 200,000 veterans reside in CT alone. Six of 10 large-scale revitalization projects funded by THDF for veterans culminate on HomeFront Day. Volunteers from Norwalk-based, Temple Shalom, are on board to complete weeks of work on behalf of Arthur & Ruth Bobrowski [9 Maxwell Road, Norwalk]. Arthur, a veteran of the Korean conflict, and his wife were sorely in need of a wheel chair ramp, an answer to their dysfunctional kitchen, and extensive adjustments to make their bathroom more accessible. According to HomeFront Board Chair, Kenneth Wiegand, “Each year, HomeFront receives requests from 80 veteran families in need. We commend The Home Depot Foundation for a commitment that builds mightily on our record of giving back to those who served our country.”
Charter Communications philanthropic initiative “Charter our Community” is partnering with organizations focused on rehabilitating and rebuilding unsafe and unhealthy homes in the United States. A grant from Charter supports five substantive HomeFront Day projects in New Fairfield, Stamford, and Southbury. Charter employees are also volunteering to help with two major home repair projects for families in need, locally, in June and September.
The collective compassion of hands on volunteers, product contributors, foundations and other donors brings HomeFront to the mark of 2,930 homes revitalized in program history, delivering $50 million of service where it is needed most. HomeFront is a community-based program dedicated to keeping low-income homeowners in their homes with an improved quality of life through substantial repairs completed at no cost to them. More information on HomeFront can be found online at homefrontprogram.org.
VOLUNTEER PROJECT SITES
Project Address: Domus Kids, 225 Washington Boulevard
Volunteer Team Name: St. Barnabas Church, Greenwich
Volunteer Media Liaison: Rev. Ted Pardoe
Project Address: 54 McMullen Avenue
Homeowner Name: James Crowley
Volunteer Team Name: St. Luke’s Church, Darien
Volunteer Media Liaison: Charles England
Project Address: 1 Green Street
Homeowner Name: Gwendolyn Garnett
Volunteer Team Name: St. Cecilia Church, Stamford
Volunteer Media Liaison: Kim Thompson
Project Address: 93 Unity Road
Homeowner Name: Richard Negysi
Volunteer Team Name: First United Methodist Stamford
Volunteer Media Liaison: Pam Drago
Project Address: Childcare Leaning Center, 90 Maple Avenue
Volunteer Team Name: Synapse
Volunteer Media Liaison: Sarah Orlando
**Note: this project, unlike all of the above, is happening on Wed., May 18th**
NORWALK
Project Address: 9 Maxwell Road, Norwalk
Homeowner Name: Arthur & Ruth Bobrowski
Volunteer Team Name: Temple Shalom, Norwalk
Volunteer Media Liaison: Jonathan Long
Project Address: 36 June Avenue
Homeowner Name: John Evans
Volunteer Team Name: New Canaan Congregational Church
Volunteer Media Liaison: Marianna Kilbride
Project Address: 3 Mill Brook Drive
Homeowner Name: Patricia Kolkmeyer
Volunteer Team Name: New Canaan Exchange
Volunteer Media Liaison: Dan Sullivan
Local participating volunteer groups
Corporate
Community Builder Level
Charter Communications, Stamford
FactSet Research Systems, Norwalk
Hometown Hero Level
Deloitte, Stamford
GE Capital—GECAS, Stamford
Hologic, Danbury
Barn Raiser Level
Synapse Group, Inc., Stamford
Foundation Source, Fairfield
Civic/Non-Profit Volunteer Groups
AmeriCares, Stamford
Kiwanis of Wilton
New Canaan Exchange
Faith-Based Volunteer Groups
First United Methodist Church, Stamford
New Canaan Congregational Church
Our Lady of Fatima, Wilton
Our Lady Star of the Sea, Stamford
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Greenwich
St. Cecilia Church, Stamford
St. Edward the Confessor, New Fairfield
St. Francis of Assisi Church, Weston
St. Luke’s Church, Darien
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Wilton
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Fairfield
St. Stephen’s, Ridgefield
Talmadge Hill Community Church, Darien
Temple Shalom, Norwalk
Wilton Presbyterian Church
2016 MAJOR SPONSORS
Program Benefactor Level
The Home Depot Foundation, Atlanta, GA
Community Leader Level
Charter Communications, Stamford
Mithun Family Foundation, Minneapolis, MN
Housing Partner Level
The Norbert H. Hardner Foundation, Amherst, NH
The John H. & Ethel G. Noble Charitable Trust, New York, NY
Good Neighbor Level
FactSet Research Systems, Norwalk
First Congregational of Old Greenwich
PeoplesUnited Community Foundation, Bridgeport
The Fred & Joan Weisman Fund, Stamford
Twenty Seven Foundation, Glastonbury
Project Builder Level
First County Bank Foundation, Stamford
James T. Lee Foundation, New York, NY
Near & Far Aid, Southport
Sidney Stern Memorial Trust, Pacific Palisades, CA
The Goodnow Fund, Darien
The Inner-City Foundation, Bridgeport
Other Major Sponsors
Bank of America, Hartford
Downey Family Foundation, Westport
First Presbyterian Church, New Canaan
New Canaan Young Women’s League
Savings Bank of Danbury
UBM, Norwalk
Westport Young Women’s League
2016 PRODUCT & SERVICE CONTRIBUTORS
A.W. Hastings & Co., Enfield – windows
Accurate Lock & Safe, Danbury
Allway Tools, Bronx, NY – misc. tools
Behr Paint, Santa Anna, CA – paint
Camsan Inc., Stamford – electrical work
Extra Space Storage, Stamford – building supply storage
Fast Cap, Ferndale, WA – tools, gloves, respirators
GAF, Wayne, NJ – roofing shingles
Heritage Systems, Inc., Waterbury – new roof
H.J. Hoffman & Co., Norwalk — screenprinting
Marypat Design, Westport — graphic design
Nelson Roofing & Siding, Bethel – donated roofing replacement
Owens Corning, Toledo, OH – roofing shingles
Pro Bono Partnership, NY & Fairfield County — non-profit legal assistance
R.E. Davis Builders, Stamford – construction services
S&S Asphalt Paving, Southbury – paving work
The Home Depot, Trumbull – paint
The Home Depot, Danbury – building materials
Wooster Brush Co, Wooster, OH – paint sundries
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