A Brush With Kindness

Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Monmouth County is happy to announce their A Brush with Kindness (ABWK) and Home Repair Program. ABWK serves low-income homeowners who struggle to maintain the exterior of their homes. The Home Repair program addresses the interior with small repairs. These programs are a holistic approach to providing affordable housing and assisting communities as well as families.

Groups of volunteers help homeowners with exterior maintenance. This typically includes painting, minor exterior repairs, landscaping, weatherization and exterior cleanup. The home repair program helps with interior repairs.

Habitat selects partner families based on income, need and willingness to partner.
This work is important because it…

1. Helps ensure families are living in safe and well-maintained homes.
2. Keeps homeowners in their homes and protects their financial investments.
3. Restores the homeowners dignity and pride of homeownership.

This kind of homeowner-by-homeowner approach translates into stronger neighborhoods and communities.

Many low-income homeowners live in challenging circumstances which create issues that are beyond what they can handle alone. You may know of a neighbor, parent or grandparent who is struggling to keep their home in a livable condition. Homeowners must often choose between paying for food, medication, taxes, and basic utilities.
When basic family expenses exceed income month after month, home maintenance is the usual casualty. Years of deferred maintenance can cause a downward spiral of home deterioration and unsafe living conditions. Outside forces also play a role in putting the squeeze on low-income homeowners. Often they are faced with city code violations and homeowner insurance cancellation when their home is in disrepair.

Many of the homeowners we partner with have worked years to maintain their homes and now find themselves in an awkward and sometimes embarrassing position of asking for help.
A Brush with Kindness helps ease wary homeowner concerns by providing home preservation services that are sensitive to homeowner circumstances.

After completing an application process, A Brush with Kindness provides caring volunteer groups who are willing to come alongside and assist homeowners in completing the necessary work. Able-bodied homeowners work side by side with volunteers in a cooperative effort.

For more information, call 732-728-0441 and press 4 and leave your name and phone number.

Click here for ABWK applications.

Click here for Home Repair applications.