Be the Gift is a community wide service organization that has been providing home repair for Widows,Single Mom homeowners and their children as a gift, with no cost to them for the past 12 years. We givethem a safer, healthier and better functioning home in which to raise their children. Combined with care and compassion, our goal is to improve their quality of life.
Priority is given first to ensure health and safety issues. A child living in a single parent home has a difficult enough situation to handle and often by no fault of their own becomes the victim to the many circumstances and struggles that unfold in their lives. The situation and issue in these single mom homes often comes down to basic economics. These families must make hard decisions on a regular basis about paying for housing expenses or paying for other necessities like food, clothing, health care and transportation. They forego necessary home repairs allowing their home to fall further into disrepair. These ladies are brave, courageous, and deserving of our help. Be the Gift applauds the choices and sacrifices single mothers make for their children. We partner with this hard working, determined sector of our population. The statistics are alarming and we will do whatever it takes to help them in their journey.
Be the Gift’s unique program is three-fold. Home Repair Assistance, Community Involvement/Volunteerism and Self Sufficiency through Education. We utilize professional contractors, project facilitators and mobilize community volunteers to provide these household repairs right in their
neighborhood where they work and live. Projects are being assessed, scheduled and completed on a weekly basis. Last year alone, we assisted 92 Single Mom Families.
Be the Gift believes in helping a single mom become self-sufficient. We educate and teach her about her home with the result of being able to do simple fixes as well as recognize and resolve home issues on her own. Our services aid in the well-being of all members in the household. Rather than feeling inadequate and overwhelmed, they will see fear leave and self-respect rise as our team teaches them how they themselves can maintain their home. They realize there are people who care and are willing to invest in their lives and are excited to see the progress these mothers make each day in each situation. The children reap the ripple effect created and grow emotionally, educationally and relationally.
One Single Mom wrote:
“How can you explain something that has left you speechless, even long after you have experienced it? The last year was tough. I worked full-time, tutored in the evenings, monitored homework, and did activities with my children. As a single mom there is always more work to be done than one human can do, yet it can be difficult to ask for help. These people were all amazing, kind and loving individuals who treated me with so much respect and grace- they never judged, they just helped me. Yes they came in and repaired many broken “physical” things at our house, but what they did in all honesty impacted my family in so many more ways than just the physical. It was such timely assistance when I needed it most."
