UC Habitat For Humanity Asking Contractors To Help Seniors In Need

Upper Cumberland Habitat For Humanity is in desperate need for contractors willing to help seniors.

Executive Director Pam Ealey said there are nine assessed projects and nine projects waiting to be assessed. Ealey said they will reach out to contractors about doing paid work to help seniors and they are not getting callbacks or get told the contractor is too busy.

“They’ll be happier in their home, they’ll be healthier if the home is safe and it’s good for the entire community,” Ealey said. “It keeps them out of nursing homes longer. It’s just the ideal situation, everyone wants to stay in their home.”

Ealey said they are asking the community if any licensed and insured contractor with the heart to help neighbors is available to repair floors and foundations. She said there is money to pay contractors but need them to bid on these projects.

Ealey said if anyone knows a way to help, they can call 528-1711 and ask for either Pam Ealey or Bob Jett.

“Some of these projects are three or four items,” Ealey said. “One may be a roof, well we’ve got that ready to go and one may be putting in an ADA toilet. We can handle that but with this funding that we have on this program right now we can’t just piecemeal it. So we have to get all of this pricing together and then submit it.”

Ealey said the calls keep coming in about seniors who need their home repaired, but no calls about people willing to take on the projects. She said there are nine projects waiting to be assessed because they do not want to overload the backlog when they do not know if someone will do the work.

“We need to get these projects started this summer,” Ealey said. “We’ve got to get these projects done this summer.”

Upper Cumberland Habitat for Humanity’s senior repair program is called “Neighbor 2 Neighbor.” She said that is the groups plea to the community, for someone to want to help their neighbor age in place.