NHS Brings More Awareness to Homeowners in Auburn Gresham during 24th Annual NeighborWorks Day
Barbara Harfmann
Published: June 16, 2011
As part of Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Chicago’s 24th Annual NeighborWorks® Day on Saturday, June 4, volunteers worked hard to get the word out to Auburn Gresham homeowners and renters about NHS and what it can do to help the community.
NHS Auburn Gresham Neighbor Director Lauren Lowery, who presided over her first NeighborWorks® Day, recognized that there are still homeowners who are not aware of NHS and its valuable resources. “We want people to know what NHS is, what we do and how we can help people in the neighborhood,” said Lowery.
Supported by St. Bernard’s Hospital, the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation and 006th District Police Station, NHS had the ability to organize volunteers in a door to door campaign to distribute literature and answer questions ranging from home ownership to home repair.
Betty Jo Swanson has resided in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood for 47 years and has continued to volunteer with NeighborWorks® Day since the Auburn Gresham office opened in 1997. “NeighborWorks® Day is the best thing for reaching out to the community. We went door to door to meet our neighbors and explain what NHS does. Since this is home improvement season, we want folks to know that resources are available to help them replace their leaky roof or fix a rotted porch,” said Swanson, a member of the NHS Central Board of Directors.
Workshops were also organized to answer questions from homeowners and renters. After the workshops several clients made appointments with NHS for potential housing loans. Other clients inquired about pre-foreclosure prevention through NHS.
The event positively impacted the Auburn Gresham community. NHS Executive Director Ed Jacob commended NHS’ partners, staff, volunteers and residents for all their hard work. “There is a great spirit and fun to the day as neighbors connect with each other and houses and blocks are beautified,” he said.
This year, 600 volunteers worked simultaneously in seven Chicago neighborhoods and in Elgin. NHS appreciates the support of its partner organizations, including lead sponsoring agency State Farm Insurance Companies. Other NeighborWorks® Day sponsors included the Travelers Foundation, Valspar Corporation The Home Depot Foundation, First Bank of Highland Park, U.S. Bank, and the City of Chicago.
The NHS Auburn Gresham office, 449 W. 79th St., has free homebuyer education classes, offers fixed-rate lending services, including loans for construction rehab, and other resources to help Chicagoans Buy, Fix and Keep their Homes. For more information, call 773-488-2004, or visit www.nhschicago.org
Keywords:
Neighborhood Housing Services
Posted in Community Highlights