John Jarvis
John Jarvis lives in his childhood home built by his parents in 1961. “Six of us lived in this home, and we did the best we could,” said Mr. Jarvis. This home represents his community and his family. Photos line the shelves in his den, a constant reminder of the importance of his family’s home and the memories of family members who have passed on. Mr. Jarvis lives next door to his mom’s sister and his cousin, and they introduced him to the good work of Community Housing Solutions.
Due to his declining health, his family home fell into disrepair. Mr. Jarvis was worried he was going to have to leave his mom and dad’s home because he could not physically or financially afford to take care of all the repairs needed. Community Housing Solutions’ Home Repair and Aging Gracefully programs provided critical repairs to make his home warmer, drier and safer allowing him to continue to live and age in his childhood home.
CHS replaced the roof, repaired his kitchen and bathroom flooring, converted his bath tub to a safer walk-in shower with grab bars, and installed an accessibility ramp. Mr. Jarvis is now able to safely move in and around his home, and he will be able to stay in this home, which makes him very happy. “I love this home and I am thankful for the work you did,” said Mr. Jarvis. “I can live longer knowing these changes have been made and I have something to look forward to now. I just wish my mom could see it.”
Lucille Reynolds
Lucille Reynolds has lived in her home for 46 years, where she has raised two of her children. In August of 2020, she suffered a stroke and was hospitalized. The hospital social workers referred Ms. Reynolds to Community Housing Solutions for the Aging Gracefully program. This program, in partnership with Cone Health, combines CHS home repairs with health education and training from a registered nurse (RN) and an occupational therapist (OT) to allow the homeowner to live longer and safer in their home. “Thanks to CHS and the Aging Gracefully program, I feel blessed, grateful and very secure in my home.”
CHS construction staff along with the Cone Health OT and RN visited Ms. Reynolds’ home and identified repairs that would make her home a safer place to live following her stroke. Bathroom grab bars were installed, the kitchen floor was replaced and an outside handrail was installed. The OT also worked with Ms. Reynolds and helped her make some changes to her daily tasks. She learned safer ways to move around her home, particularly in the kitchen and the laundry room.
“I am thankful to be able to stay in my home,” said Ms. Reynolds. “Thanks to all you have done, I can live and know that I am safe. I am truly grateful to CHS ... they have been a gift to my life.”
Mary and William
Mary and William were renting an apartment about five blocks from the houses we were building on Reid Street as a part of our Home Buyers program. They had always dreamed of buying their own home one day but were not sure when that time would come. They applied for a mortgage, qualified and made an offer on one of these homes. They could not hide their excitement on the day of closing in late April. This excitement led to more joy and celebration as just two weeks after purchasing this house, they invited 50 of their friends and family over to witness their marriage in the back yard of their new home. We wish the very best to Mary and William as they begin their new life together in their new home. Rebuilding Homes. Restoring Hope.
Ruby McBee
Ruby is a part of the Aging Gracefully program at Community Housing Solutions where teams of occupational therapists and nurses work with homeowners like Ruby to assess needs and provide necessary accessibility modifications that will help them stay in their homes safely for more years. The biggest impact of this program is prevention, as modifications are made before falls occur.
Ruby wanted to soak in the bathtub without falling and to move safely in and out of her home. Community Housing Solutions’ installed three grab bars in her tub and replaced the rotting floors under her toilet. In addition, a concrete walkway was poured and rotten doors were replaced. These modifications made Ruby safe and stable as she carried out her daily activities.
“I love the program, and I love what they did,” said Ruby. “Community Housing Solutions cares. They showed me love and affection, and they helped me accomplish my goals. When you have someone who cares, that makes you feel good about yourself.”
Thanks to your support, we install shower bars and we build walkways, but we do much more than that. Thanks to your support, we restore lives, hope and dignity for people like Ruby so that they can age gracefully in place in the home that they love. You may click the links below to continue this support through either a donation or volunteering your time. You may also view the video below for a more complete account of Ruby's story.
Mechelle Patterson
Mechelle Patterson, pictured above on the right with family members, was two years old when she moved into a house on Milburn Street in Greensboro. She lived here with her two brothers and her mom and dad. Sadly, her father passed away at the young age of 39 in 1981, leaving her mom as a single mother raising three kids. But Milburn Street became their home; where she played hide and seek, where she made friends, and where she lived with her mother until her death in 2015.
Before her mother died, her childhood home on Milburn Street had begun to deteriorate. It was infested with rodents and the roof was leaking. Mechelle wondered how she might be able to save this house that had meant so much to her throughout her life. Then someone told her about Community Housing Solutions.
After six months of work, Mechelle is now seeing her home repaired so that she can live in it again. Thanks to your support, her childhood home has a new roof, new flooring and new life. Thanks to your support, Mechelle’s children - and her children’s children - will have a place to call home.
“Something new in my faith is coming alive,” said Mechelle. “I stand here and look at my house and think, 'God, is this really happening?’ My brother once told me that Ma stands for My Angel. And I believe it. I know she is up there looking down on me and this house and smiling, seeing that her legacy can go on. And I just keep saying, Thank you, God!”
Here at Community Housing Solutions, we thank you - our friends and supporters – for helping us to continue to help people like Mechelle rebuild their homes and restore hope and faith in their lives. Your support continues to make a difference to hundreds of people in Guilford County, and for that we are grateful.