MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) – A Habitat for Humanity program is helping veterans with their housing repairs.
The Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity is a veterans build affiliate with Habitat for Humanity International to help veteran homeowners. In partnership with the Home Depot Foundation, Habitat has developed the Repair Corps Program to offer critical home repairs.
“The biggest impact is keeping people in their homes by providing access to home repair services and funding opportunities like the Home Depot Foundation or SRS Raise the roof that keeps people safely in their homes,” said Josh Brewer, executive director for Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity.
The program is not only for veterans but anyone in need of home repairs.
“Generally the way that it starts is that you would come in and apply, you can call in or email in we would help you walk through the application process and then we will assess the needs that you are looking for and then we’ll try to find the partnerships and solutions and we can help to potentially get this funded,” said Emily Herbig, homeowner services coordinator for Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity.
The Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity has seen 5 different cases this year with different needs. They are currently helping Roy Patrick a former soldier with repairs on his roof, siding, and mold.
“It has been a long process, we started this thing I think a little over a year ago trying to get everything started working on and it just took a while but I was patient and they were great at their job and they were able to get the funding to get this stuff taken care of for me,” said Roy Patrick, the veteran homeowner.
Patrick has been very appreciative of the help he’s received from the program and workers.
“I am very grateful for what they have done when we originally started this it was just going to be a roof and siding and they went above and beyond because when they found out I had black mold in my basement they ended up taking care of that for me too and that wasn’t cheap so I am very grateful for what they have done,” said Patrick.
Having Fort Riley soldiers help in these projects brings more community to those who served.
“We engage soldiers at Fort Riley to work on veterans homes and just seeing individuals who have served in the armed forces and potentially served at Fort Riley as a duty station get to connect with soldiers especially those soldiers that are about to begin their transition out and just have soldiers serving veterans and connecting with them it just reenforces the value of that community,” said Brewer.
The Habitat for Humanity workers said they hope to get the siding on the house done in a few weeks.
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