M ARTIN L UTHER K ING J R .
Page 4
2015 special edition
January 14, 2015
Repairs
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unlikely to have their next of kin
around to help with home repairs
and maintenance.
“I’m excited to see what they’ll
do,” says Thelma WIlliams. “I have
trouble getting down the stairs, and
without a rail, it’s dangerous for
me.”
Installing a handrail by her base-
ment stairway could greatly reduce
her chances of injuring herself in a
fall.
Many senior citizens are injured
every year in homes that have lurk-
ing dangers, be they loose tiles,
unsafe stairs, or leaky roofs letting
water on the floor for someone to
slip on. Seniors are especially at risk
of falling and not being able to get
help, and thanks to this kind of
community service, an older Port-
land resident can keep their home
safe and increase their quality of
PHOTO BY O LIVIA O LIVIA /T HE P ORTLAND O BSERVER
Lynda Williams and her mother Thelma Williams meet up with Neil Kelly Co. Representatives Chad Ruhoff and Lisa Pickert, along
with Community Energy Project In-Home Services Manager Roberto Rivera ahead of a volunteer home improvement project inspired
the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
life, even perhaps extending their weatherization jobs but not major
life expectancy.
construction.
The Community Energy Project
“We are funded by the Portland
has limited monies for smaller, Housing Bureau to provide services
to people that are 55 or over, who are
low-income, or people with disabili-
ties who are also low-income,” says
Roberto Rivera, the in-home ser-
vices manager for the Energy Project
which is located on Northeast
Alberta Street.
“Most of our work goes into
single family dwellings. Our services
vary depending on the needs the
person or people have in that
unteer service opportunities are ripe
throughout Portland, but both
Thelma and her daughter Lynda
agree that this strikes them as one of
the most concrete ways to help the
community.
“This lets me keep my home,”
says Thelma, “and that’s more im-
portant to me than anything else. It
really means so much to me.”
In the past year, the Community
I’m excited to see what they’ll
do. I have trouble getting down
the stairs, and without a rail, it’s
dangerous for me. — Thelma WIlliams
house.”
For Neil Kelly, performing a com-
munity service in honor of the Mar-
tin Luther King Jr. holiday was part
of its DNA.
“We are a Benefit Corporation,”
says Chad Ruhoff, vice president of
energy service for Neil Kelly. “Our
company charter is not just about
the financial bottom line, it’s about
giving back to the community and
taking care of our neighbors.”
The company has pledged to
tackle some of the larger repairs and
home safety issues for Thelma Wil-
liams’ home.
“We are grateful for support from
Clean Energy Works and Energy
Trust of Oregon to help make these
repairs possible,” Ruhoff said. “We
want people to know there are re-
sources and programs available to
make their home healthier and more
comfortable.”
Martin Luther King Jr. Day vol-
Energy Project’s In-Home Services
Program (which includes their Se-
nior Weatherization, Emergency
Repair, and Extended Repair Pro-
grams) served 220 homes in Port-
land.
More than 50 percent of the
homes services were owned by
people of color, and 60 percent were
extremely low income homes (cat-
egorized as families that make less
than 30 percent the median family
income). All funding for this pro-
gram comes from the Portland Hous-
ing Bureau.
To see if you qualify, call Com-
munity Energy Project at 503-284-
6827 to walk through the eligibility
requirements. You can also learn
more by visiting the Community
Energy Project website at
communityenergyproject.org. You
can also visit the website or call to
volunteer or donate to future Com-
munity Energy Project endeavours.