700 Volunteers to Make Home Repairs for Elderly This Sat., May 14

CINCINNATI, May 9 -- Over 700 volunteers from all parts of the Greater Cincinnati area will make home repairs for 60 plus elderly or disabled homeowners for PWC’s Repair Affair May 14.

Repair Affair is PWC’s annual spring volunteer event dedicated to helping very low income elderly and disabled homeowners with all the repair jobs that keep a home safe and habitable. The event supplements PWC’s year around mission of helping very low-income elderly and disabled homeowners with critical home repairs.

“This event is an important part of raising awareness about our agency’s mission,” said PWC President Jock Pitts. “Our volunteers help us to reach more people and make an even greater impact on our community.”

PWC’s paid professional staff performs over 6,000 critical and emergency repair jobs a year while volunteers help with minor repairs and home maintenance. Last year volunteers performed over 1,200 services for PWC’s elderly and disabled clients.

Repair Affair ’05 is graciously sponsored by Citigroup, the City of Cincinnati, Home Depot, National City, 55KRC & 1530WCKY; and supported by The Cinergy Foundation, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Riemeier Lumber Co.

TEAM DEPOT INVOLVED: All 13 greater Cincinnati area Home Depot Stores will provide repair teams who will work throughout the week of May 9, leading up to the event. Home Depot has participated in Repair Affair since 1998.

“PWC’s mission of serving very low income elderly and disabled homeowners with critical home repairs completely parallels Home Depot’s belief of giving back to the community,” said Home Depot District Manager Ron Henlein. “PWC represents the very fabric of what we’re all about.”

CITIGROUP CARES: Citigroup of Florence, KY is also giving back to their community through Repair Affair. They have donated $25,000 to help fund PWC’s volunteer efforts three years in a row Citigroup’s Vice-President of Public Relations & Communications Johnna Reeder Fasold said that PWC’s mission is a good match for Citigroup’s core values.

“We have taken part in a three year partnership with PWC, investing $75,000 in three years and contributing 700 volunteers to date,” said Fasold. “…PWC’s mission matches our philanthropic values. We truly believe that vibrant neighborhoods are key to a community’s success.”

WHO IS PWC? Founded in 1975, People Working Cooperatively (PWC) is a unique non-profit agency that helps very low-income elderly, disabled, and other residents of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky safely maintain their homes. We provide critical home repairs, weatherization and maintenance services for very low- income homeowners and weatherization for renters. PWC does not perform cosmetic repairs like paint and wallpaper but instead focuses on very basic living essentials -- heat, running water, working toilets, solid roofing and other repairs that keep a home safe and habitable. PWC’s average client earns less than $13,000 a year and has often faced a crisis such as illness, death, and divorce or job loss. Fifty-one percent of the households served by PWC are headed by a resident age 60 or over.

For more information about PWC, visit http://www.pwchomerepairs.org/.

REPAIR AFFAIR FAST FAX

-- Repair Affair was developed by People Working Cooperatively in 1983 as a free outreach program to help very low-income elderly and disabled homeowners with the home repairs they need to keep their home safe and habitable. Why? Low-income elderly and disabled homeowners are often the most vulnerable residents in a community. When they physically or financially lose the ability to care for their homes, their quality of life can diminish. Often, they will choose to live in substandard or unsafe conditions rather than lose their home.

-- The elderly and disabled often have fewer resources for help and can easily fall victims to disreputable lenders or home repair scams. Repairs performed by PWC’s Repair Affair volunteers are FREE.

-- When older neighborhoods begin to lose long-term homeowners, the community often declines. PWC’s many programs help maintain the integrity of the homeowner and the community.

History & Stats:

-- In 1983, the original Repair Affair matched the skills of approximately 70 dedicated volunteers with 15 elderly homeowners.

-- In 2005 700 volunteers will work at 60 homes throughout Cincinnati and Northern KY.

-- PWC’s Repair Affair Volunteers will work in 41 neighborhoods throughout Cincinnati and Northern KY from Middletown to Burlington. Over the last 23 years 10,463 volunteers worked at 1,467 homes during PWC’s Repair Affair.

Contact Information

Kim Sullivan

Media Contact

People Working Cooperatively

Contact via E-mail