A Brush with Kindness
A Brush with Kindness connects people and restores homes through simple acts of kindness so that homeowners can once again live in a safe and decent home.
As part of the Neighborhood Revitalization program, volunteers from neighborhood groups, businesses, churches and community agencies provide exterior work for low-income homeowners who are challenged by age, disability or circumstance. A Brush with Kindness brings resources, volunteers, and homeowners together to paint, landscape, and perform minor repairs and general cleanup of the exterior of homes.
This helps to revitalize the appearance of the neighborhood, encourages connections within the community and helps ensure that families live in safe, well-maintained and affordable homes.
Weatherization
This involves repairing existing homes to be more energy-efficient. Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, MD partners with the community for weatherization projects.
Neighborhood Revitalization
Need work done on a home you own in Frederick County, MD?
Critical Home Repairs
Like A Brush with Kindness, Critical Home Repairs helps to revitalize the appearance of the neighborhood. Generally, these homes need more work, with the cost estimated at over $3,000.00.
Our Critical Home Repair on 7th Street in downtown
Frederick dramatically changed the appearance and
safety of this home.
Our NR Program is Based on Partnerships
In Frederick County, the NR program visibly helps the community with projects like our exterior home repairs in the neighborhoods. We partner with families who cannot afford repairs and are in dire need.
Based on the concept of partnership, Habitat commits to working with the local community to renovate homes to qualified families with 0% interest loans for their payment plans. In turn, Partner Families must contribute “sweat equity” before the completion of the home repairs, attend home maintenance workshops, follow program guidelines, and pay for the services. Habitat for Humanity is a "Hand Up, not a Hand Out".
Selection & Applicant Eligibility Criteria
To qualify to be a A Brush with Kindness or Critical Home Repair Partner Family, the applicant must have:
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A housing need. The condition of their home should be such that minor exterior repairs, maintenance, landscaping, clean-up, painting, or deck/ramp construction can be completed by volunteers.
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The applicant must own and occupy the home as their primary residence for at least 1 year before applying and cannot sell the home for at least 3 years after completion.
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A total family income that is no more than 80% of Frederick County’s median income.
We also require that the applicant and family be willing to contribute at the least 10 hours of “sweat equity” before the completion of the exterior home repair. The total number of hours is dependent on how many hours the repairs will take. At least one (1) workshop/course, such as home maintenance, is mandatory. Total hours will not exceed 70 hours of "sweat equity."
To view the complete eligibility criteria, please click here for the document.
We’re Partnering with the Community as a Neighborhood Revitalization Affiliate
The Neighborhood Revitalization (NR) is a partnership whereby Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, neighborhood residents and local partners can change the face of neighborhoods and the lives of the families who live there – forever.
Through the NR, we offer programs designed to serve more families by responding to community needs with an expanded array of products, services and partnerships. With resident input and community focus, we are developing partnerships with a range of organizations and groups. The goal is to realize the shared vision for the quality of life that Frederick County residents want to achieve and sustain.
As we move forward, we will put our large base of community volunteers to work as never before, and develop lasting and effective partnerships of all kinds in our community.
