Project Extra Hands

Project Extra Hands is a nonprofit organization that helps senior citizens living on their own to care for and maintain their homes and properties. This fall/winter we’re committing to work with seniors and elderly to give them the extra hands they need to do projects such as landscaping, lawn mowing,  raking leaves, clearing debris, and power washing the exterior of homes. 

Our family started helping seniors maintain their homes last year when our, grandmother, a widow, suffering from health problems and living alone, was unable to maintain her house anymore. She would call different people to help her but the expense became overwhelming. We started coming every month to take out the trash, rake up leaves, clear out debris and cared for her 15 acre property. It was a lot of work to keep the surrounding area clear and we knew that this was a problem for more than just her. 

I want to provide the opportunity to connect local high school students with senior citizens in the neighborhood to build relationships and recognize that the stereotypes they hold of each other are inaccurate and they have a lot to gain from each other. Help us bridge the gap between two generations keeping our communities flowing in the right direction.

1. Recruit high school students in need of community service hours
2. Train students in basic lawn maintiance
3. Connect with city government and United Way to be added to the service lists for seniors in need of lawn/home care
4. Come out to service homes the first weekend of every month through March 2017

I became passionate about giving back to my community after serving in the peace corp where I focused on public safety, education, unmet human needs, and natural disasters, completing over 5,400 hours of volunteer services in Mexico. Afterwards I worked to maintain sections of the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee and worked with Habitat for Humanity in Florida; giving me a new found respect for the community where I live. As president John Kennedy said, “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” This is my way of doing for my community and encouraging the next generation to do the same.