This article was written by Jorge Roque, Hands on Housing

Client Services Intern from St. Edward’s University 

When I walked into Ira Smith’s house to change three light bulbs, she was, in the company of two grand-kids, watching Spongebob Squarepants.

Ira Smith did what I once thought was impossible: she shifted her attention away from the underwater shenanigans. Then she directed all of her focus toward me, making sure I didn’t have to get off the chair I was standing on to replace the dead light bulbs.

After all three of her new lights were working, she thanked me for being the only one able to to remove the glassware, a matter of someone telling me the trick right before I left for her house. That’s it, really.

Because of a donation Austin Energy  had made to Interfaith Action, I was able to bring her a box full of light bulbs. And, of course, I used three of them right away. She had been living without light in her living room (where her grandchildren gather to watch excellent televised programming) and in her kitchen.

Hands on Housing used to have personnel to do everyday household chores for people who, for whatever reason, were unable to themselves. The program was called Handy Helper, and one man by the name of Stephen was responsible for going house to house and assisting mostly senior citizens to make fixes in hard to reach places.

Handy Helper used to be all of Hands on Housing. Then we got funding from the city, and our Program Coordinator Deborah Schagen’s job began consisting of gathering client’s paperwork and working with professional contractors. Depending on what program someone qualifies for, we’re able to push through thousands of dollars worth of work on a home, a far cry from casual handy work.

Since then, Hands on Housing’s one Handy Helper has moved into another field of work, and the small stuff has been left alone.

Ms. Ira Smith was gracious all the  same. “You’re so young for knowing so much,” she told me.

After my face blushed, I assured her, “Oh, I don’t know much at all about this kinda stuff.”

But, as someone who can’t help himself through everyday glitches and inconveniences, I can say the little stuff matters.