For 54 years, 94-year-old Edubina Gallegos has called her Brighton house home. But over time, the place she loved started to show its age.
“This is my home. This is where I like to live,” said Gallegos. “But it really needed work.”
Through Brighton Help for Homes, volunteers spent the day helping Gallegos tackle projects around her home, like pruning bushes, pulling weeds, adding fresh mulch, tightening downspouts, painting her ramp and house numbers, and fixing her gate.
“It meant a lot to me. I’m so old, and I can’t do anything anymore,” said Gallegos. “And to be able to have someone do some things like this, it’s a really big blessing for me.”
Gallegos’ home was one of 13 houses that received services through the 20th annual Brighton Help for Homes on May 3. In partnership with the City of Brighton, Brothers Redevelopment organizes the event each year, bringing volunteers and neighbors together to paint, make minor exterior repairs, and provide general yard cleanup for local homeowners.
Fifteen volunteer teams participated in the day — including the Iglesia Bautista Nueva Esperanza church in Brighton, whose volunteers worked at Gallegos’ home and another home.
“For us, it comes from the Great Commission,” said Eduardo Garcia Montes, one of the volunteers who worked at Gallegos’ home. “We want to be good neighbors to the community and help those who don’t have anyone else. We strive to be that ‘brother from another mother’ figure for the older generation.”
The group started early that morning, splitting into teams and meeting with Gallegos to learn what additional help she might need.
“It was an excellent day with great weather, and we were happy we could fulfill her requests,” Garcia Montes added. “We’ve built a great relationship with Brothers Redevelopment, and we’re already looking forward to next year.”
Looking around her freshly cleaned yard and newly spruced-up home, Gallegos said she couldn’t be more thankful.
“All I can say is I appreciate everything Brothers has done for me to help my property stay looking clean and very, very nice looking,” she said.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Brothers Redevelopment, the City of Brighton, and volunteers like those from Iglesia Bautista Nueva Esperanza, Brighton Help for Homes continues to make a meaningful difference in the community.