EATONVILLE, Fla. — Some homeowners in the town of Eatonville are getting their homes renovated thanks to the help of two nonprofit organizations.
Rebuilding Together Central Florida and Help Community Development Corporation are working together to make homes them safe and livable for homeowners and their families for years to come.
That’s been the case for Lois Billy, who’s been living in her Eatonville home for almost 30 years. She said her favorite thing about the town is the people in it.
“The people in Eatonville, you know, everybody tries to help one another. If there’s a crisis, people come together, and that’s the joy of being neighbors,” Billy said.
As a senior homeowner, making costly repairs and updates to her home was a challenge, until she heard about two local nonprofits who offered to help.
“They’re just really up keeping renovations. Basically, that we need to touch up every once in a while in a home. And I was chosen to be that, you know, that person to accept it and I thank them,” she said.
Eatonville based nonprofit Help Community Development Corporation works to identify the needs of Eatonville residents. Executive Director Nicole Oriol said one thing residents really wanted was getting their homes fixed up. They partnered with Rebuilding Together Central Florida to make it possible.
“Homeownership preservation is the key," Oriol said. "So, if we can do anything to help the seniors stay in their homes or help them secure their properties from heirs' property so that they could pass it on to the next generation. All of those things are about homeownership preservation."
Program Manager Lee Bien said Rebuilding Together rehabs homes for low-income individuals and veterans in Central Florida. So far this year, the organization has rehabbed two homes in Eatonville and is trying to obtain a grant to rehab 25 additional homes.
“For this community, it’s a relatively lower-income bracket, so (…) their extra money is not going to fixing up their houses,” Bien said. “So, a lot of them are houses that have been there generational. They’ve been within the family for four decades, for multiple generations and so, they need some work. They need roofs. There’s wear and tear on things. They need carpets.”
As part of the renovations, Billy got her bathroom redone, converting the bathtub into a shower and installing grab bars for her safety.
“Very pleased about it, you know, because at times, we all need something new," Billy said. "You know, things do wear, and we all need something new.”
She is also very proud of her new kitchen, with new floors, cabinets and appliances.
“I feel good about it because I look at it as when you are chosen for something, there’s something behind it and it brings joy,” Billy said.
And the joy of the renovations does not stop inside. She is also getting a new roof. The roofing company working on it ensures there are no leaks, making it watertight to keep Billy safe during hurricane season.
“Now we’re changing out the rotten wood. And then after that we’ll be putting on the rolled membranes. And then we anticipate being done today, probably this evening, sometime after we finish cleaning up,” Sunflo Construction and Roofing owner Robert Marsch said.
With the roof being the final piece in her house renovation process, Billy is eager to see the results.
“Just like everybody else, we all want to see. Oh, what is that going to look like? You know?” Billy said.
She said she appreciates all the work done to keep her home safe and in the family for generations to come.
“I think it’s a marvelous job because there are homeowners who need work done but just don’t have the funds to and it’s a helping hand,” she said.
Rebuilding Together Central Florida makes home transformations like this one possible by seeking grants and working with community partners. The application process is on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on grant availability and specific income requirements.