Photo credit to RJC.
Not all heroes wear capes
A
group of friends, a couple of pizzas, and a backyard. This was the beginning of an idea Paul Latour had to give a friend living with multiple sclerosis more accessibility to her backyard. But after a few phone calls, that working pizza party turned into a major renovation. With the help of 27 local companies, 65 volunteers and 10 bands, the $25,000 project was completed in one day — with a budget of only $380. “That changed my life forever,” says Latour. “Sending me down this road.” Latour is the founder and CEO of HeroWork Program Society, an organization that teams up with local companies to carry out renovations for local charities without funding in their budget to maintain their facilities. Referred to as a radical renovation, HeroWork organizes a workforce of volunteers for a single-day, weekend, or multi-weekend event to repair an ailing building while creating a huge community event. Many of the volunteers are construction company representatives, while others have little-to-no experience with a hammer, simply enthusiasm for supporting local charities. “It’s a modern-day barn-raising in which community members come together,” says Latour. “We’re a charity that renovates other charities, because many of them are rundown.” Recognizing that poorly maintained buildings make it difficult for charities to deliver essential services to our most
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