Habitat for Humanity’s Yolo County chapter is looking for volunteers for its fundraising efforts and upcoming revitalization project in the Bryte and Broderick communities of West Sacramento.

The group also seeks applications from low-income homeowners in those communities who need help with repairs.

Habitat is gearing up for this next project after completing homes last month for the Allen and Villalobos families in the Heidrick Ranch portion of Woodland’s Spring Lake neighborhood.

“Habitat has built homes in Davis and Woodland. We felt the time was right to focus our work in West Sacramento,” said Marty Swingle, board president of Habitat Yolo, in a news release.

Group leaders began meeting with the Bryte/Broderick Community Action Network and this led to a partnership between the two organizations. This initiative is a three-year program designed to help low-income homeowners with repair and weatherization services and to create new housing opportunities for low-income families by purchasing and renovating existing homes.

“The goal is to reinvest in these communities for the betterment of residents and Habitat homeowners alike,” Swingle said.

Habitat Yolo is also accepting applications for its home repair program, A Brush With Kindness.

“This program is limited to low-income residents of Bryte and Broderick in West Sacramento,” said Diana Walker-Smith, executive director of Habitat Yolo, in the news release.

Initial screening applications can be downloaded from the group’s website at http://www.habitatyolo.org. This application is also available from BBCAN or by calling the Habitat office at (530) 668-4301 and asking to receive an application by mail.

“For now, we are concentrating on exterior home repair and weatherization, such as exterior painting, wheelchair ramps, landscaping, fencing, weatherization and/or minor roof repair,” Walker-Smith said. “We hope to expand our services and service area as the program grows.”

A Brush With Kindness is patterned after Habitat’s homeownership program. Repair work is provided at no profit and financed by Habitat through affordable, no-interest loans. Homeowners invest “sweat equity” into repairing their homes, working side by side with members of the community.

Homeowners’ monthly payments are recycled into a revolving fund that enables the local Habitat group to repair more homes.

“All of this will take an incredible amount of resources, both human and financial,” Walker-Smith said. “Our goal is to renovate six homes and provide repair work for 36 owner-occupied homes over this three-year time frame. We need volunteer help with our fundraising, especially for our upcoming annual Indian dinner and silent auction, and we need help promoting this initiative.

“We had an incredible outpouring of volunteer support for our Heidrick Ranch build. We are hoping there are members of the community who would be willing to help us with these endeavors as well.”

To sign up as a volunteer, or for more information, contact Walker-Smith at (530) 668-4301 or [email protected]

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