We first met Maurice when we were working on the home of one of our Hands on Housing clients. He had dropped in to deliver a meal he prepared for the homeowner. As the homeowner introduced Maurice to Kathy Weiner, our Hands on Housing Coordinator, she said Maurice’s home needed a lot of repairs. This word of mouth referral is so very typical of the way we get to meet many new homeowners who qualify for our Hands on Housing program.

Maurice moved to his present home in 1940 when he was 4 years old. The house belonged to his grandfather who purchased it with money he earned working on the railroad.

Maurice remembers as a young boy that his grandmother would send him over to the neighbors to deliver a meal or to lend a hand when she felt it was needed. He learned very early the value of community and that being a good neighbor meant to be there for your neighbors in any way you are able. He came from a family with a deep rooted tradition of cooking and sharing, which he continues today.

Maurice loves gardening, and he uses the vegetables he grows, adding a pinch of love into the food he cooks and shares with his neighbors. These old traditions, along with his elderly neighbors, are slowly disappearing. Maurice feels the loss of those who used to live nearby, but he welcomes the new younger neighbors and tries to share what he can with them. He was brought up with and still lives by the premise that it is better to give than to receive.

We told Maurice that this time we wanted to make sure it was his turn to “receive” the love and kindness he has given so many.

Help us support Maurice and the many other elderly homeowners who need critical home repairs.

Act now, time is running out to help us meet our generously offered matching gift challenge of $5,000 from Marianne and Martin Rochelle, who have extended the matching deadline.

We are only $1,500 shy of our goal! Every dollar you donate by December 20, 2013, will be DOUBLED!

Help us meet this goal!
You can donate online or mail in a check to iACT at 2921 E. 17th Street, Bldg. D, Ste. 3, Austin, TX 78702.