Helping Homeowners Stay Home for Good

There is a crisis in Wake County (and much of the country for that matter.) Affordable housing and the ability to maintain a home is a struggle for many people. Ply Gem has made it their mission to help keep people in their homes with the Home for Good Project. In the past few years they have donated over 1.8 million worth of home exterior products.  Organized a small army of local contractors and volunteers to give time to take on a variety of home improvements and home repairs in the communities where they live and work.

I was honored to be a part of the kick off of the 2018 Home for Good Project, right here in my hometown of Raleigh, NC.

When Ply Gem reached out to me about being a sponsor for the Saving Etta project, we discussed how I could be a part of their larger mission to save homes. Ply Gem started the Home for Good project in 2016 to try to help homeowners stay in their homes by providing much needed repairs and renovations to houses in disrepair. Ply Gem reached out to the Habitat for Humanity’s Neighborhood Revitalization program to identify local homeowners who were in need of exterior renovations and repairs.

If you read my blog, you know that Habitat for Humanity is one of my favorite charities. All Ply Gem had to say was “Habitat for Humanity” and I knew I wanted to be a part of this wonderful project!

8 Days, 5 Houses and 400 Volunteers

It began on one of the hottest weeks in Raleigh. The 2018 Ply Gem Home for Good Project kicked off on a Monday with 90 degree heat here in North Carolina. Despite the weather, hundreds of volunteers showed up to make a difference.

Each house had at least a dozen volunteers eager to chip in and make a difference for the homeowner. The repairs involved adding beautiful new energy efficient windows and long lasting maintenance free siding from Ply Gem. The homes also received a variety of other exterior renovations including new roofs (when needed), new paint, and landscaping.

I took a day off from working on Etta and drove my work truck over to the Home for Good Project house I was assigned to. When I pulled up out front of this cute little ranch house, it looked in pretty decent shape until I got closer.

The yard was overgrown and the bushes were growing on the house.

A poison ivy vine had been climbing around the back storage structure and deck for a while. And the siding was in rough shape.

We all worked together to remove the poison ivy and trim branches from around the house.

Within an hour, the over grown bushes and vines were tamed and trimmed.

Next we moved on to maintenance tasks. We cleared the gutters and I took down a downspout to clear a clog.

A group of contractors showed up to start installing the new vinyl siding.

It amazed me how quickly the siding was installed. And the light moss green color was a nice compliment to the house.

The house looked so much better by the end of the day. But, you won’t believe what this house looked like by the end of day eight! Ready to see some dramatic before and after pictures?

Front Before:

Front After:

Back Before:

Back After:

Back Deck & Shed Before:

Back Deck & Shed After:

Hard to believe it’s the same house!

Want to see more? This is another Home for Good Project house around the corner from the one I worked on.

Front Before:

Front During Rehab:

Front After:

The siding, the windows, shutters, and trim were all donated by Ply Gem. Check out those beautiful new shutters, windows, and pediments!

Ready to see another transformation?

House Before:

House After:

New siding, windows, and trim made this house a show stopper!

I can’t get over that adorable yellow front door.

This was such an amazing experience to be a part of. I hope to be a volunteer for the Home for Good Project again next year.

Want to learn more about the Home for Good Project created by Ply Gem? This video will explain more about the program and give you a peek at the actual transformations.

If I’ve inspired you to find out more about the Home for Good Project, take a look at all the projects that are happening around the US! Click here to find out if there’s an opportunity for you to volunteer with the Home for Good Project near you.

Disclosure: This post is a sponsored post for Ply Gem. It was written as part of their sponsorship of the Saving Etta project. I was not told what to write. All words and opinions are my own. I am very particular about the brands I work with, and only partner with companies that provide quality materials and/or services.