Homeownership is often equated with success and the fulfillment of the American Dream. But it takes money to maintain a home so it can remain a safe haven for a family. For some, this can be difficult, especially in a region as expensive as ours.
According to the nonprofit Wider Opportunities for Women, the reality is that “45 percent of Americans live on incomes that fail to provide basic economic security,” a fact even more pronounced among the elderly. By federal definitions, many of these people are not “poor;” but in fact, we all know people who are gainfully employed or worked hard their whole lives but still struggle to pay bills.
In Alexandria, we see this all the time. We encounter families — many who have worked in positions supporting businesses, schools and local governments — that are facing difficult choices about paying to fix a leaky roof or paying a doctor bill or paying for food.
Isaac and Sue are one such couple. Isaac is a US Army veteran who served in the Korean War. After the war, he began his career as a school bus driver and continues to work even now part-time, which he loves.
Both Isaac and Sue have called Alexandria home since they were very young children. They raised their family in a tidy row house, where they have lived for more than three decades. Isaac’s favorite place is his basement where he relaxes with a 6 year-old Chihuahua named Princess that rules the home. They also enjoy entertaining their grand and great-grandchildren.
The couple loves their home and neighborhood and don’t want to move out. Built in 1954, the home requires maintenance that is harder for them to do themselves or afford to have others do. When they were introduced to Rebuilding Together Alexandria, which works to preserve housing affordability and revitalize the Alexandria community by providing free home repairs, they felt relieved and grateful.
Earlier this year, Rebuilding Together Alexandria volunteers added handrails to their bathroom, fixed the plumbing issues with their toilet, and installed a ceiling fan in their bedroom. These type of upgrades are important since most of our clients are homeowners who live near the poverty level. By improving their housing conditions, we can help them remain active in their neighborhood and in turn help our city remain economically, socially and culturally diverse. For Isaac and Sue, these upgrades bring peace of mind and ensure that these pillars in the community can remain living where they are.
If you know someone like Isaac and Sue who could benefit from our services, we encourage you to introduce them to us. To learn more, visit www.RebuildingTogetherAlex.org or call 703-836-1021.