Expanded Client Stories
Duxbury Road, 14626
Carolyn taught Spanish at St. John Fisher College, did missionary work in Mexico, and raised her two daughters in the Town of Greece home she bought 26 years ago.
A few years ago, her position at the school was eliminated and she was diagnosed with health issues that put her on permanent disability – which meant living on a fixed income.
Carolyn’s furnace broke down in the middle of last winter. The house also had trouble with drainage and it turned out the deteriorated plumbing needed to be replaced. The commercial HVAC company she called to repair the furnace told her about the Greece Residential Improvement Program (GRIP). Carolyn was “raised to be a helper” and found it hard to ask for help. She also assumed she would not qualify for assistance. Luckily, she met program requirements and Town of Greece GRIP assisted Carolyn with the necessary repairs.
On top of the furnace and plumbing, it was discovered the home’s electrical service was unsafe and malfunctioning – outlets sparked and running the air conditioner blew fuses – and had to be replaced. Carolyn felt as though it was one thing after another. She was overwhelmed with the thought of the costs and concerned she was unsafe in her home. But the GRIP staff, especially Saviana, were terrific and continued to assist Carolyn. GRIP connected with RENEW to secure additional resources to cover all the necessary work.
Carolyn had recently been through some difficult times and the need for critical home repairs added significant stress. However, she said all the people who helped her were “a wonderful blessing” and her “level of gratitude is amazing.” When talking about the team of people who helped make her home a safe place, Carolyn said, “It’s a beautiful thing to give someone hope again.”
