Carpenter's Apprentice group helping those in need with home repairs
A group of about 30 volunteers from four Norwin area and Penn Township churches will be on a mission this week to help about 15 low-income and elderly residents in need of home repairs so they can live in a safe and secure environment.
The Carpenter’s Apprentice will send volunteers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to houses in Greensburg, Irwin, Jeannette, Manor, McKeesport, New Kensington, North Huntingdon, North Irwin, Penn Borough and New Kensington, said Rick Burdelski of Irwin, a member of the organization. The blitz of home repairs by an all-volunteer labor pool is the nonprofit organization’s Spring Fix-up, Burdelski said.
“It is something we are doing to try to help people who don’t have the resources to pay someone to do the work,” he added.
Most of the work the labor force will do consists of exterior repairs.
“It’s all done free of charge,” Burdelski said, with all of the materials being paid for through donations.
The Carpenter’s Apprentice is a joint mission of First Presbyterian Church of Irwin, Norwin Church of the Nazarene and Community Methodist Church of Harrison City. The name comes from Jesus serving as a carpenter before beginning his ministry.
The organization was created in 2008 to help improve the living conditions of those less fortunate in the Irwin area. It was idle for a time, then reactivated last year, said Samuel Hensell of North Huntingdon, president of the board. The organization did home repairs last year and launched a Fall Fix-Up event.
Those who are in need of assistance can register at the carpentersapprentice.org, Burdelski said. Those in the community, churches and pastors can refer needy homeowners as well. A member of the organization will do a site survey to determine whether the needed home repairs are ones that the volunteers can accomplish. The survey also will include a financial needs assessment of the homeowner.
Burdelski said the group also is seeking volunteers to help to help with repairs. Volunteers can register on the website as well.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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