A few years ago, I found myself sitting in a conference room at Elements Financial, surrounded by my colleagues on the Elements Cares Committee — the organization’s charitable giving team. We were there for Pitch Fest, an annual event where nonprofits pitch their causes to secure grant funding from the credit union where I was working at the time.
Most of the presentations that day were exactly what you’d expect: polished slide decks, presenters in suits and dresses, and rehearsed scripts.
Then it was NeighborLink’s turn — now known as Home Repairs for Good.
Dave Withey, the founder, didn’t have dozens of slides or handouts. Instead, he sat down at the table with us, looked us in the eyes, and started sharing stories. Real, raw, emotional stories about people in Indianapolis facing unimaginable challenges. One story in particular has stuck with me ever since.
He told us about a woman living on Social Security who had nowhere to store her push mower. Her small home didn’t have a garage or a shed, so she chained it to the front porch. Then came the citation from the health department, saying that she needed to move it. But she had no money to buy a shed, no family to help her, and no way to resolve the issue on her own.
It’s a small thing, right? A lawnmower on a porch. But for her, it was an impossible obstacle. Without help, it could have spiraled into more fines, court dates, or even the loss of her home. Home Repairs for Good stepped in, helped her store it properly, and cleared the citation.
At first, I thought, Why does this matter so much? But the more Dave spoke, the clearer it became. This woman’s lawnmower was just a symptom of something much bigger: isolation, poverty, and the harsh reality that many people — particularly older adults — are living in homes they love but can no longer maintain.
That day, Dave left the room with our full attention, support, and a check for $10,000.
Fast forward to today, and I’m proud to serve as a board member for Home Repairs for Good. Every story Dave shared that day — and every story I’ve heard and seen firsthand since — is a reminder of why this work matters.
I work in financial services, and I’ve spent my career preaching financial wellness — teaching people the importance of saving, planning, and making sound money-related decisions.
But life doesn’t follow a formula. Many of the people we help at Home Repairs for Good have worked hard their whole lives — as homemakers, bus drivers, teachers, and medical techs. They didn’t have access to retirement plans and often didn’t receive generational advice on preparing for the future. They live on bare-bones Social Security in homes that are falling apart around them.
It’s easy to say, “Why didn’t they save more?” But the truth is never, ever that simple.
Maybe they raised a dozen grandkids. Maybe they lost their savings to a house fire or medical bills. Or maybe they just didn’t have anyone to call when something small went wrong — like a leaking roof or a broken water heater — and those small problems snowballed into bigger problems.
I think about my own life. I’m not the handiest person, but when something breaks, I always know I can call my dad. He’ll either walk me through the fix or point me to someone who can handle it. I take that for granted. For so many older adults, there’s no one to call. And when you’re living on a fixed income, it’s not just about having the right tools. It’s about having the resources and the support to make minor repairs before they turn into major disasters.
That’s where Home Repairs for Good comes in. Through our network of volunteers and contractors, we make critical home repairs at a fraction of the cost they’d usually cost. And thanks to donations from people like you, we do it at no cost to the homeowner.
Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference. It’s what allows us to fix roofs, repair furnaces, and replace broken windows. It’s what keeps people in the homes they’ve known and loved for decades.
While at surface level this work is about fixing homes, it’s mostly about dignity. It’s about making sure people have a safe place to call home, even when the odds feel stacked against them.
But we can’t do this alone. Every donation matters. A small contribution can be the difference between a warm home in the winter or a roof that leaks in every storm. It’s what allows us to fix the things most of us take for granted — the steps that don’t wobble, the furnace that hums, and the door that closes properly.
This work reminds me that even something as simple as a porch and a lawnmower can tell a much bigger story — one of struggle, resilience, and the need for community.
I hope you’ll join us on our journey to keeping more people safe, secure, and happy at home — for good.
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