Louise’s Story
“I never imagined they would do so much.”
~Ms. Louise La Baugh, Community Builders Recipient
After 47 years of living in her own home, Louise La Baugh had begun to face significant challenges. With severely impaired vision, she fell and broke her elbow while descending the stairs, which were in disrepair and lacked a handrail.
“I was desperate,” Louise said, “I didn’t want to move or sell my house. I didn’t know what to do.”
Louise received a postcard in the mail from REACH’s Community Builders Program. She gave REACH a call, and after an on-site assessment, REACH found a lot of work needed to be done. Louise was overwhelmed by the team that showed up. Truck after truck arrived, until more than 25 people were standing in front of her house.
The volunteer team was headed by Trammell Crow Residential, a company that develops and constructs apartment buildings. They proceeded to clean up the yard, build the railings on staircases, install new light fixtures, and install grab bars in the shower, to name just a few of the repairs.
“I was crying,” Louise says. “I never imagined they would do so much. They even washed my bathtub.”
“We try to give back to the community,” says Operations Manager Kim Hensey. “It meant a lot to us to see how much it helps the homeowner.”
