Volunteers Find Easy Connections To People In Need Through City’s Volunteer Assistance Program Webpage
For volunteers, it means a few hours out of a day. For those who benefit, it means the world. For some Richardson homeowners, broken-down fences, overgrown yards and chipped paint are simply problems they can’t fix alone. Barriers such as health, advanced age and limited resources make some home maintenance projects feel like insurmountable chores.
Volunteering is easier thanks to www.cor.net/vap, where volunteers can review needed projects and connect with serving opportunities. Postings on the VAP webpage provide a general home area description and an overview of each of the project’s needs. Community Services organizes around 60-100 improvement projects each year.
Giving Back
Stephanie Miranda, a Starbucks store manager, was one of the volunteers at a home repair project in early June. Miranda said her team wanted to give back to the community they serve.
“I went to the Richardson Community Services website and there were several options. We thought this would be a fun project,” she said. “I like doing work with my hands and the satisfaction of repairing something.”
Miranda and other volunteers used scrapers to remove the crumbling paint off fascia boards of the peachbrick home of a Richardson resident. Fascia boards serve as the transition between the walls of a house and the roofline; house gutters sit atop the boards. For the project, team members also scraped and repainted wall boards on the home’s front porch.
Like most of the VAP home projects, the results are not meant to only remedy eyesores. Volunteer Nicholas Stapleton explained, “You have the aesthetics aspect—it looks better. But when you have paint peel like this, it allows water to get in so that boards will rot over time and rodents and pests can get in. If you keep the boards in good repair, the paint seals the area and keeps water from getting in the soffits underneath. You’re protecting the house from rot and infestations.”
Stapleton, a Starbucks employee, said he had jumped at the opportunity to use his expertise to help a resident in need.
“I own a home and do a lot of handiwork; this is something I’ve been wanting to do,” he said. “Plus, it’s part of the company values to give back.” Volunteer Joshua Lynch said he was happy to join in and help with the project.
“As a police department dispatcher, I have a sense of public duty. My family has a lot of public servants and people in the military and giving is ingrained,” he said.
Lynch said helping out is really about the Golden Rule—doing what you’d hope others would do for you or your loved ones in the same situation. “If someone in my family needed help and couldn’t take care of something, or if I had an older family member who couldn’t complete their home projects, something like this in their city would be very beneficial,” he said.
Pitching in with the Volunteer Assistance Program
Community Services Administrator Lindsay Turman said volunteers are particularly necessary this year since numerous individuals and families have been economically impacted by COVID, and many regular volunteer activities have been suspended.
“There are a lot of people who are facing difficulties, whether it be financial or with other limited resources,” she said. “It’s important that those within the City of Richardson know there is assistance and there are people who can help you out.”
Volunteer groups range in size from two or three people to large business, nonprofit and faith-based teams. Network of Community Ministries is a frequent VAP partner.
“It’s really easy to volunteer,” Turman said. “You can look at our website at any of our available projects. I encourage people to think of ways to combine together in volunteer groups and come out.”
Community Services aims to match projects with volunteers who are well-suited to the tasks. However, volunteers shouldn’t feel they need specialized training in order to pitch in. Some materials are provided by the City, while some volunteer groups are able to bring their own equipment, such as lawn-care items.
While parents are allowed to bring their children on projects, the volunteer assignments are designed specifically for adults. The City provides an employee who is available during the time of the project, whether it is completed during the week or on a weekend.
Richardson residents may call the Community Services Office to determine if their home project and situation fit in with the VAP’s services. For large-scale projects such as new roofs, Community Services refers inquiries elsewhere.
Turman said, “If you look online, you might be surprised to see that one of your neighbors needs help. I encourage people to think of ways to come together and volunteer. And for those who need it, don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
To volunteer with the Volunteer Assistance Program (VAP), visit www. cor.net/vap. To request assistance on a house project, call the Community Services Office at 972-477-4180.
