Marines on Deck to Welcome Devil Dog Displaced Since Sandy Back into Home | the Ocean Signal

Hey, I recognize that ramp!  We built it back over "spring" break in late February.  VERY glad to see they made it back into their house!



Marines on Deck to Welcome Devil Dog Displaced Since Sandy Back into Home | the Ocean Signal:

"Some of the many volunteer groups involved in the effort included Bona Responds, Calvary Chapel Relief, Calvary Chapel Teens, Habitat for Humanity, Portlight Strategies, Sandy Weekend Warriors, and Seton Hall Prep.

“My parents are grateful to Paying It Forward and the more than one hundred volunteers that helped rebuild their home and clean up after the storm,” said Denise Gavala, the couple’s daughter. “These volunteers gave of themselves to give back to my parents a home that they loved and thought they would never see again.”"

Want a picture of the day?

BonaResponds' upcoming jobs

Have a few work requests that we need some help with:

1. In Angelica NY: "My father is 79 years old and has a fixed income.....found out that the only running water he has in the kitchen is from his sprayer,he flushes his toilet with a bucket and the only way he can fill his bathtub is by running a hose from his bathroom sink-which doesn't have a drain except for a bucket!My father is way to proud to ask for any kind of help from anybody but I really think he deserves help from somewhere" Any people with Plumbing skills available? WOULD LOVE TO DO THIS THIS WEEKEND!!

2. In Olean: a woman needs some help moving. (From Community Action: "I have a woman who lives in Olean who has been evicted from her apartment. She has three grandchildren that she has custody of. ...I was wondering if you would have any volunteers to assist her in moving this weekend? She is willing to rent a budget truck". and later "She has four beds and a kitchen table" THIS SATURDAY

3. Jo Ann's mother recently died. Not only did they list BonaResponds as a charity to donate to, but now they are donating her ramp to us so that we can use it elsewhere. But it is sort of heavy and Jim is really weak. So if anyone (with a flat bed truck even better) wants to help with that, it would be GREATLY appreciated. And a BIG THANK YOU to Jo Ann! THIS SATURDAY

4. In Arcade we will be teaming up with CYC soon to make a walkway/removable deck for Ken a Vietnam era vet who has MS. Could definitely use a hand there too!

5. In Salamanca we will be joining forces w Team Depot (from Olean's Home Depot) to build a ramp for a woman with MS. Waiting on permits there, but otherwise ready to go! (Thanks Joe and Craig!)

BonaResponds update

• This past week we built a ramp for Roy and Virginia near Delevan NY.   It turned out very well. Great job Jerry, Jen, Christina, and Raliegh!

 

• As back to school specials start, we'd love you to pick up some extra school supplies that we will ship to schools in Haiti.  We'll also donate some domestically (especially the larger items).
• We will be getting our new office space in the brand new Swan Business Building on the SBU campus.  Look for pictures soon!
• This coming week we will be working on ramp sections for a job we will be working on with Team Depot (Home Depot) in Salamanca.  Plus a patio in Arcade for a Veteran who has trouble walking on uneven ground.
• Working hard to get solar power to a school and internet cafe in Haiti.  It is taking MUCH more time than expected.  
• We need a short presentation put together for the incoming students (i.e. Freshmen in the language we are not supposed to use).  Any takers?
• Jen P is investigating ways that BonaResponds could help in the Philippines.  Stay tuned!

John's Wheelchair ramp: Great timing! Great Story! How it ends depends on you.

There are so many jobs.  Too many jobs.  Trying to determine what job to do is often the hardest part of leading BonaResponds.  Doing job A often means we can not do job B.  It is an impossibly difficult choice: NYC or Herkimer?  Haiti or Texas?  Olean or Oklahoma?  A ramp job or a tree job?

So one day last week after dinner I was writing down all the jobs we wanted to get done before leaving NYC.  There were 6-7 jobs.  We were only in the area for two more days.  Clearly something had to give.

But I kept thinking I was forgetting a job.  We get requests in many formats: from our website submisison form, from many different organizations, from friends, by phone, by text, by facebook message, and sometimes by dumb luck.  I remembered a Facebook message, but could not remember the exact job.  So late that night I checked FB and lo and behold found it!  But what was strange was that the address was already on my list-Two groups had each requested we do the same house.

So I took it as a sign we better bump up its priority.  When we get to the house, there already is a ramp, but it is WAY too steep.  John is sitting in a car trying to figure out how he can get in the house.  Here is the video interview with him:



We built him a temporary ramp to allow him in and out of the house, but the story is not done!  We are teaming up with Portlight Strategies, Habitat for Humanity of Westchester County, RespondandRebuild, and others to get him a permanent wheelchair lift that will allow him to a degree of independence that is absent today.  If you want to help (write a grant, make a donation, help install, etc), PLEASE let us know!