Ms. Barbara Robertson is a lifelong resident of the Historic Eastside community. She is the epitome of a great neighbor and community servant. She is a regular volunteer with the monthly Historic Eastside Community Development Corporation and In The Word International Ministries food giveaways. She’s also worked to introduce other seniors in the community to Historic Eastside Restore and Repair program, which has changed her life in many ways.

Made possible by United Way of Northeast Florida’s multi-million-dollar investment in home preservation as well as JEA’s weatherization pilot program, projects of the Restore and Repair program support interior and exterior upgrades and/or replacements to features of owner-occupied homes that make houses safer and more energy-efficient, among other improvements.

After the passing of her daughter a couple years ago, Ms. Robertson moved back into her home in the Eastside after a short stint away. When the work started on Ms. Robertson’s home, repairs slated were originally for a new roof, plumbing work and minor ceiling repairs.

Contractors soon found out the home had an extreme invasive case of mold due to the hole in the roof. This escalated the repair work and eventually led to Ms. Robertson needing to vacate the home for a full mold mitigation.

Throughout the process, Ms. Robertson has been patient and continues to serve the community while her home has gone through repairs. Ultimately her home will receive a new roof, HVAC system and water pump, in addition to a fully mold-mitigated home. In Ms. Robertson’s own words, this home repair has given her “beauty for ashes” as she will now have a safe and healthy home to enjoy in a neighborhood she loves.

This important work to preserve homeownership helps families not only save money and allow them to stay in their beloved historic homes but also significantly improves their quality of life. When you give to United Way, you make initiatives like this possible, changing local families’ lives indefinitely. Thank you for supporting United Way and its partners in this critical life-saving work.