PHOENIX, May 10, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Instead of feeling hopeless after a fire devastated her home in 2008, Phoenix resident Roxie Mae Harris instead counted her blessings. The day of the fire, Roxie's great-granddaughter, who was living with her and home sick that day, was able to escape through a bedroom window with minor injuries.
Now, Harris and her great-granddaughter will soon count their blessings again and move back into the home, which is being completely renovated at no cost on her behalf by the local nonprofit organization Angels On Call.
For the third year in a row, Angels On Call (AOC) (http://www.angelsoncall.org), a community service program sponsored by Stardust Building Supplies, has provided a free home makeover to a Valley homeowner in need. Ms. Harris, 1140 E.
Euclid Avenue, is the recipient of this year's home makeover project.
Renovation on the Harris home begins TODAY, starting with the home's electrical and plumbing systems being completely updated. Dodge Electric and J&H Plumbing will be donating their services for these upgrades.
The extensive renovation project will take approximately three weeks to complete and will include complete asbestos abatement; new drywall, flooring and paint throughout the home; extensive electrical and plumbing repairs; kitchen updates; and landscape enhancement. Numerous other repairs and renovations will be made during the project to make the home safe and inhabitable.
Harris, who will be living with relatives during the renovation, will not see the home until the project is complete. The 'reveal' of the home makeover to Harris is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 25.
Stardust Building Supplies is an Arizona-based nonprofit organization with two discount building materials warehouses in the Phoenix area, accepting tax-deductible donations of new and used building materials and supplies from businesses and individuals, which are then sold at the warehouses for up to 80% of retail price. Angels On Call's mission is to provide no-cost home repairs to low- and fixed-income homeowners in desperate need of basic home repairs.
All labor and products are donated to the home makeover project at no cost. Last year, AOC provided a complete home makeover to a Phoenix homeowner, worth over $75,000 in materials and labor.
The home makeover project this year was open to all Valley homeowners that met a few basic requirements, including meeting federal poverty guidelines. Homeowners were invited to submit applications describing their need for a home makeover.
"We received numerous applications and all of those applicants had great need," said Todd Stingley, executive director of Stardust Building Supplies. "Ms.
Harris's home is in significant disrepair and is uninhabitable. We hope our renovation on her home will make a great difference in her quality of life. We are really excited to offer this assistance to her." "I felt on the day of the fire, in the midst of a tragedy, God had given me something to be thankful for, my great-granddaughter's life," Harris said. "With my home devastated by the fire, and no insurance to repair it, I applied to receive this home makeover so I could move back to the home where I spent over 30 years raising my eight children and countless grandchildren. This house holds all of my dearest memories. I never thought I'd see the day I'd be able to go home again." "This is a significant renovation project," said Dee Soumala, program manager for Angels On Call. "After two years of living with relatives, Ms. Harris will finally be able to live in her home again. It will be like a brand new home when we are finished with the project!" Community donors and volunteers interested in supporting this project are invited to participate. To learn more, contact Soumala, 480-233-5108.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITY Members of the media are invited to tour the home, located at 1140 E. Euclid, during the makeover process. Interviews with the homeowner, Stardust and AOC personnel are available, as well as with contractors and volunteers working on the project. Call Sarah Harper, (602) 402-1341, to arrange interviews.
SOURCE: Stardust Building Supplies CONTACT: Stardust Building Supplies' Angels On Call Sarah Harper, 602-402-1341 Copyright Business Wire 2010 -0- KEYWORD: United States
North America
Arizona INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Women
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