Habitat for Humanity of Wake County is one of nearly 40 Habitat affiliates partnering with Valspar, Habitat’s national paint partner, and Wells Fargo, to launch A Brush with Kindness Week Sept. 19-26. A Brush with Kindness Week is a nationwide effort to transform neighborhoods by painting, providing minor exterior home repairs, landscaping and cleaning up yards in partnership with more than 130 low-income homeowners, many of whom are elderly or have a disability. Locally, 100 Habitat for Humanity volunteers will work on five projects nextWednesday Sept. 23 – Saturday, Sept. 26 in Wake Forest’s Northeast End neighborhood.
“We are grateful to Valspar Paints and Wells Fargo for their support of this event, and we are honored to participate in A Brush With Kindness week,” said Brad McHugh, a construction manager for Habitat Wake who oversees the Home Preservation projects. “A Brush With Kindness, one of our Home Preservation services, is a key piece of our work to improve neighborhoods. It’s important we help support local residents and neighborhoods.”
The week is a continuation of Habitat Wake’s work in Wake Forest. For the last several years, Habitat Wake has worked closely with Northeast End residents through its Neighborhood Revitalization program, which connects local congregations and community organizations to meet residents’ needs and improve the community. During the last three years, 28 A Brush With Kindness projects have been completed in Wake Forest by Habitat Wake volunteers and staff. Typical work includes repairing decks and stairs, replacing mailboxes, painting and light landscaping.
Valspar, lead sponsor of A Brush with Kindness Week, is also the founding partner of Habitat’s home preservation services which help low-income homeowners who struggle to maintain the exterior of their homes. Habitat uses volunteers, donated materials and no-profit loans to make the repairs affordable, helping low-income homeowners continue to live independently and securely in their homes. Habitat has served nearly 13,000 low-income families through exterior home preservations services between 2008 and 2014.
“Habitat for Humanity’s home preservation work focuses on affordable housing in existing communities and often helps homeowners continue to live independently and securely in their homes,” said Jonathan T.M. Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “We are grateful for the commitments of the volunteers and sponsors partnering with low-income families across the country.”