Volunteers in Service In Our Neighborhoods

MISSION:

Provide low income disabled, senior citizens or single parents  who are owner-occupant homeowners  with minor and major home repairs via the coordination of  skilled labor and providing materials.

 

GOAL:

Improve the self sufficiency of Aiken County homeowners by significantly reducing the number of low income owner-occupants residing in homes that are or have the potential to become hazardous to one's health and well being.

 

ORGINS:

Project VISION was established in 1996 as a way to help United Way of Aiken County  Partner  Agencies with facility upkeep.  The employees at Savannah River Site  sponsored  "Days of Caring"  which allowed employees to take leave from work to volunteer in the community at non-profit partner agencies of United Way.  Many of these agencies were operating on strained budgets and trying to contend with facility maintenance costs.  The employees from SRS brought their knowledge of construction, computers and management to these agencies and the program has been in full swing every since. 

By 1999, the "Days of Caring" had garnered so much support that the volunteers outnumbered the agencies needing assistance, so the program was expanded to include home repairs for low income owner-occupants.  In keeping with the programs original intent of allowing individuals, corporations and civic groups to volunteer in their community the majority of the work was and still is completed by skilled volunteers.  In 2008, Project VISION became a full-fledged program  receiving an annual allocation and reporting relationship to the United  Way of Aiken County Board of Directors.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE REQUESTED:

Owner-Occupant Homeowners ask for assistance with both minor and major repairs in order to make their homes safe and habitable: