Tag Archive: community help

When your home needs work done, the task can seem daunting. You’re wondering who to call for the job, who will not overcharge and who has the best work ethic. Consider asking around in your own neighborhood and see who has the skills you need. There are many in your community who may be skilled in different fields of work concerning residential or commercial repairs. There may be some older folks who used to work in the trades for decades and have since retired. You may be giving someone a job they really need or allowing an older member of the community to feel that they are not forgotten. Here are some areas where local handiwork can help.

Fencing

If it’s a matter of putting up a fence where none was before, that’s a job. It could also be that the existing fence is collapsing or tree roots have eroded the surface and are pushing the fence posts up. If you’re repairing an old one or installing a new one, fences are easier to build when there are more people on the job. Ask around in your neighborhood and see who is good with their hands. If you can round up a couple of people who know what they’re doing, they can help you out for a smaller fee than a contractor would. You could always offer to repay their kindness with food and drinks as well. A team effort from the neighborhood folks is a great way to build relationships and strengthen community ties.

Pavement

Paving is a little more complicated than putting in a fence, but it could still be beneficial for you to ask the locals who did their driveways and who they would recommend. They may also tell you who to avoid, so a moment to seek the advice of the community folks could go a long way and save you stress in the future. If no one in the neighborhood has anyone in mind, perhaps the local community center knows of a person who could help. They know more people in the community than you do so give them a try as well. Even if they know of someone on your street who works with http://www.xlasphaltmelbourne.com.au/, it’s somewhere to start.

Painting

Painting is a big home repair job, even if it’s only one room. If you are in your first home and are new to renovations, this is another good opportunity to chat with your community members and see who can recommend some help. They may know of a company who did their interior or exterior a few years ago and will get you their number. Or they may tell you that it’s not that hard to do it yourself and that they will help you out. Having some folks over for a team painting day is a fun way to get closer to the people in your town. Keep your helpers well fed and make sure they don’t go thirsty either. Treating them to a nice barbeque dinner afterwards might even be payment enough for those who just want to help out and be useful.

By reaching out to those in the community for home renovation help, you may be surprised at what the people around you know and what you can learn. If they end up doing the job with you, you’ll grow from there and a few years down the road you can return the favor to the next new neighbor.

Helping your community is a great way to do some volunteer work. Many communities will get together and build gardens or playgrounds to beautify the neighborhood, but what about building a gym for those who can’t afford to get a membership? One way to help you community is to build something that all people can use such as a community center that is non-profit. Finding the right building and grant can be daunting but once you get the funding you need and find the right building it’s all a matter of getting the community together to make it work. Here is some helpful information that will help you with this task.

Buying equipment for the adults

Adults in a community center will need exercise equipment and these can be purchased pretty affordable. Do your research with keywords such as the best cardio machine, or affordable exercise equipment, you can even check craigslist.org for exercise equipment in your area that is for sale. These are all options to keep it affordable and obtainable.

Furniture

You will need tables and couches for sitting. Community centers need different stations for different activities, such as TV center, relaxation center, and a food court. You can find reasonable prices on furniture that is either at a goodwill or on a classified ad site. Many items that people are selling for affordable prices are still very useable and with a little professional cleaning can look as good as new. An eclectic mix of color pallets and patterns makes for a very interesting design concept.

Children’s play area

You can find many children’s items at second hand shops for very reasonable prices. With a little bit of elbow grease and some bleach and Lysol all toys can be sterilized and made to look brand new. Sometimes adding a coat of paint can make an old toy look brand new. This will help in adding toys and play equipment to the community center without going out of budget.

Playgrounds

Playgrounds can be built with a little ingenuity and some wood and tires. If you can’t afford to buy a playground set then simply draw up plans for an A-frame swing set and some tires swings and maybe a play house and purchase wood at a discount lumber yard or use pallets that are for free from some companies and refinish the wood. You can find all kinds of plans online for free if you search for the right key words. Some companies will donate the tools and supplies needed for a name plate on the grounds.

Community centers are a great way to add benefits to low income communities and provide special places for kids to go after school to stay out of trouble and off the streets. The workers can be volunteers which means they don’t have to be paid. You can offer volunteers college credit for their involvement in the community center and this will help them with their degrees and transcripts. Volunteer work is something we should all do at some point in our lives. You can also work with the police to offer community service volunteer work for teenagers who are assigned community service as a condition of their probation. These are all ideas to help your community be a better place.