By Judy Pochel For The Beacon-News May 2, 2011
AURORA — Pedro and Juana Villa used their life savings when they moved into their Aurora home with their four young children just a few years ago. Shortly after that, their American dream turned upside down.
When the home was purchased, Juana said they were going to paint the red and brown walls, but that was something they could easily do, and could wait. What couldn’t wait were repairs to the leaking roof, which was rotting the floors in the bedrooms. A contractor was hired to fix the roof, and that was the beginning of a home repair nightmare.
Pedro suffered a disabling back injury, leaving him in a wheelchair. Juana had four children under the age of 6 as well as her husband to care for. Extra money for repairs was not in the cards.
Emily Stern, executive director of Rebuilding Together Aurora, said that story is all too familiar as low-income families try to improve their living conditions and instead encounter problems.
“They used everything they made to put food on the table,” Stern said. “They had nothing left over for home repairs.”
When RTA began their project to fix the Villa home they found Juana and the four children had been sleeping on a mattress in one of the unaffected rooms. Pedro had been sleeping in a chair in a separate room downstairs by the bathroom.
Stern said numerous social programs are available for those in need, but “very few address housing issues.” She describes her group as one that operates with the goal of neighbors helping neighbors. She said they have a strong commitment to service and said after volunteers come out for the first time “they believe in humanity again. It is important to help the community.”
RTA is a regional affiliate of Rebuilding Together, the nation’s largest nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods. The parent organization dates to 1977. The local agency is planning 35 projects this year, helping senior citizens, veterans and the disabled. Clients have an average annual income of $25,000, Stern said.
“People have their home as their dream. Our goal is to improve conditions so they can stay in those homes and become part of the community,” she said.
Each spring, RTA, formerly known as Christmas in April, provides free repairs on single-family owner-occupied homes of the elderly, disabled and low-income people in Aurora. Approximately 700 volunteers donated the time and energy to complete the projects. This spring the group is renovating approximately 32 homes and three veterans facilities.
People interested in volunteering for a project, or seeking information on the assistance programs, can contact rtaurora@gmail.com
Just a few blocks away, a group of about 50 volunteers, in conjunction with Hope for Tomorrow, were working on another urgent project: renovating a 90-year-old home just north of downtown.
Once completed, the 24-room facility will house veterans who need assistance because of a disability incurred during wartime service.
“I am trying to get involved in the community, and this is my way of helping,” said Jackie Reever. She was one of numerous employees of Sears who took part after the firm listed the project on its website as a volunteer opportunity.
Jeff Gilbert is the founding president and executive clinical director of Hope for Tomorrow in Aurora. He said as more veterans are affected by homelessness, post-traumatic stress disorder and other health-related issues, the need for housing is great.
“Our veterans answered the call to protect us: we need to answer their call for help,” is the motto of the group printed on their brochures.
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