SCRANTON, Pa. — Volunteers were busy painting a porch and patching up the foundation of a home along Capouse Avenue in Scranton on Monday. These home repairs are part of Paint the Town, a program organized by NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania. The organization, along with several area businesses, provides volunteers to do work on the homes of older adults in Lackawanna County.
"Older adults, they get to an age where they don't have the capacity to completely finish the work that they used to do. So, we recruit the volunteers and raise the funds to be able to do it for them," said Alyssa Espinoza, a volunteer coordinator for NeighborWorks.
Seven homes are scheduled to have work done by these volunteers, and Michael Moran's house is one of them. Michael and his wife are on a fixed income and say they couldn't do these projects themselves, and paying for someone to do them wasn't an option.
"My wife and I are senior citizens, disabled. To have this help is amazing. We couldn't ask for anything better," Moran said.
In addition to sprucing things up, the volunteers are also addressing any safety issues that they can tackle while they're here.
"I'm sure he puts a lot of faith when he comes down the stairs. So you got a three-foot lever arm, and it's got to be something that stout," said volunteer Tom Matechik.
Volunteers say they don't mind the work because the reward is helping these folks live in their homes into their golden years.
"It really means a lot to me to be able to help this person," said volunteer Aaron Evans. "He seems very thankful, so it's my pleasure to be able to help this man, help others in the neighborhood."
"It's nice to be able to give them what they can't do, and it just gives us a warm feeling," Matechik added. "It's a good thing."
Volunteers will continue these projects throughout the week in Lackawanna County.
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