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After six years of renting a two-story, two bedroom house on the 1400 block of South Bouvier Street from her friend’s father, Judy Walston was able to become a homeowner, something many people only dream of doing.
But in summer 2004, about five years after purchasing the dwelling and living there with now 13-year-old daughter Monique, little things started going wrong. There was a leak in the kitchen ceiling around the back door, a collapsing and weakened floor and the sink was leaking around the pipes.
The 56-year-old’s son Hardy Harris came to his mom’s rescue by giving money to a friend who was to make the repairs – but then tragedy struck on Sept. 11, ’04 – one day before his 31st birthday — when Harris was killed in West Philly by an off-duty cop.
The so-called friend kept the money and never did the repairs. Not knowing who the man was, Walston had no recourse and, unable to afford the repairs herself, she just lived with the damage. But a fortuitous meeting last summer with an ex-offender and co-founder of an organization that provides free home repairs for low-income families gave Walston the ray of hope she needed.
In Oct. ’02, Ray Gant co-founded North Philly based Ray of Hope Project Inc. with successful Huntington Park businessman Willard Bostock, A skilled contractor and admitted former drug dealer, Gant spent 12 years in prison and is finishing up his parole,
"I turned my life around through the grace of God," Gant said.
Seventy-five homes have been renovated since Ray of Hope Project Inc. began.
The arsenal of volunteers consists of ex-cons, college students, seniors, church members and skilled contractors. Last month, the organization was one of eight finalists for Citizen of the Year Award, an annual Philadelphia Inquirer contest where individuals and businesses are nominated by the public.
Walston met Gant when he was engaged in block cleanups in Walston’s neighborhood last October for Philadelphia Cares Day. Gant and Walston started to chat and he mentioned Ray of Hope, Walston recalled. He handed the daughter a camera to document damages. After reviewing the images, Gant and an associate agreed to help Walston. Ray of Hope, which has 501c3 status, uses recycled materials that are either purchased or donated by individuals and businesses through fundraising, Gant said.
On Election Day, a team of 23 volunteers from an Atlanta college ministry arrived at Walston’s home and started the repairs as part a philanthropic tour the group embarked on.
If someone doesn’t have construction skills, good, hard labor is welcome as many tasks like hauling demolition materials, hammering, nailing and the like don’t require training, Gant said.
When the crew began working in Walston’s home, they discovered more damage than Gant originally expected, and extensive problems at that. Now, three months later, she is living with a completely gutted kitchen and the bathroom not much better off than the former.
Shortly after the kitchen problems started five years ago, things in the powder room went awry with water damage to the ceiling, a broken toilet and other issues.
"One of the things I like about them is they don’t just cover up damage if they find something more," she said.
Ignoring problems only leads to more in Gant’s opinion.
"We want to make sure once we leave out of a place that people are able to live back again in their homes safely and healthy," the co-founder said.
The complete free overhauls of the two rooms badly in need are what keeps Walston going along with prayer.
"It’s hard but I’m just looking ahead to once it’s finished. Just thinking about what it’s going to be like. My daughter has not complained one time. She has volunteered to help them, even hauling out demolition trash," Walston said.
With most of her relatives living in North Carolina where she is from, moving was not an option as the resident said she loves the house and doesn’t want to leave.
Roughing it has been a way of life for the committeeperson for the 36th Ward/40th Division, block captain and community leader as well as her Childs Elementary seventh grader with the kitchen and bathroom completely unusable save for the toilet and sink in the latter. Walston has been living on take-out food and meals at family members’ homes. With no income beyond Social Security, spending money on restaurant food is taxing, she admitted.
The only running water in the house is a spout in the bathroom where the women sponge bath using a basin between taking showers a couple times a week at a relative’s house, who Walston said she is not in a position to stay with. The bathtub had to be removed due to rotting fixtures and other problems.
The old adage ‘when it rains it pours’ is certainly apt when describing what happened from there as the upstairs bathroom wall where it joins Walston’s adjoining bedroom began to leak around the ceiling. Then the toilet broke and the only way it was useable was Walston and her daughter pouring water in the tank portion to flush it.
"Everything just started happening at one time," she said.
Like the kitchen, the bathroom had to be gutted too after workers found no insulation and lathe crumbling so bad when they pulled tile board off the wall.
A couple of weeks ago, workers rebuilt the bathroom floor, put in a new toilet and replaced a broken window.
But it might be awhile before Walston enjoys creature comforts like a ready-to-use kitchen because the project has exceeded funding expectations and the group must raise money to cover unforeseen costs, Gant said, adding he’s sending letters to past and current contributors for donations as well as making calls. The water damage alone to the entire structure necessitated a new roof to the tune of $2,000 plus new water pipes outside. Grant said so far the project has required $5,000 in materials and still needs an additional $5,000.
Workers are regularly at the dwelling and once the weather gets warmer "the pace will pick up and we’ll be back in business again." There is no timeline for completion.
Family and friends, like Walston, are looking forward to seeing the end result.
And the thing she’s looking forward to the most is being able to cook in her kitchen.
"I can’t wait to get in my kitchen again. I love to cook," she said.
