On Saturday, October 15th, over 240 volunteers from a 120 mile radius will unite in Brownwood to apply a fresh coat of paint to seven weathered homes. The day of service is a result of partnerships with Mormon Helping Hands, Home Depot and the Pride for Areas Surrounding Schools (PASS) initiative of Brownwood ISD and the City of Brownwood.
Of the seven houses selected, four are owned by residents over 65 or disabled. “We wanted to focus on home owners who could not to do the work themselves,” said Bob Duckworth, Brownwood Branch President for Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Mormon Helping Hands was established in 1998 and is a church program to provide community service and disaster relief to those in need.
The project was made possible by the support of Home Depot in Brownwood. One thousand dollars worth of exterior paint and supplies were donated, as a way for Home Depot to give back to the local community.
PASS was launched in December of 2010 to enhance the character of neighborhoods surrounding schools in order to inspire learning and civic responsibility. Since then, tons of trash and refuse has been collected at no charge to the residents, junked and nuisance vehicles have been removed, and several vacant and dilapidated buildings have been torn down.