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Jane Larson has lived in her St. Paul home for over 20 years. Antiques and bookcases filled with photos and keepsakes tell the story of a full life. Before retirement, Jane worked in the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) division of the Metropolitan Council for 42 years. Now, in her later years, she is determined to live an active life. But chronic back pain, hip replacements and brain surgery have made mobility a challenge.
“I lose my balance more, ever since the surgeries,” Larson said. “It’s been increasingly difficult to get up and down the steps outside of my house without a railing.”
The winters were especially problematic for Larson. She often needed help from family and friends to get down the stairs outside her home. Coming and going from her home became so difficult that Larson contacted private contractors who provided her with estimates for the cost of two railings plus labor. However the cost was far too great for Larson. Needing an alternate option, Larson applied for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity’s A Brush with Kindness (ABWK) program, requesting that railings be added at both the front entrance and the back in order to add stability as she comes and goes from her home. “When you think about Habitat for Humanity, you think about whole houses, not the small stuff,” said Larson. A Brush with Kindness is a neighborhood outreach program offering painting, landscaping and minor reapairs to homes for qualifying low-income homeowners. In particular, the program gives priority to homeowners in difficult circumstances, such as advanced age, disability or single parent households. The railing project was approved and completed last November in just two days by Aaron Helt and Daniel Westlund, who serve as AmeriCorp volunteer assistants for the ABWK program. Jane raved about the work of the two young men explaining how friendly they were and how quickly the project was completed. To celebrate a job well done she even served them treats. “The first time they came, I had cookies and coffee for them,” said Larson. “I think they really enjoyed that.” Even though the addition to her home took only a couple of days, it made a world of difference. The railings allow Larson to keep up with her busy schedule. Coffee dates with friends on Tuesday and Fridays, trivia nights at the local tavern on Wednesdays, church on Sunday mornings, and the list goes on. “When my card club friends come over, they really appreciate the railing,” said Larson. “I always spread the word that it was Habitat for Humanity who did this for me. I’m truly appreciative.” Contributed by Shelly Darnall
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