Volunteers make repairs to the roof of one of the houses.

Hope Builders gives homeowners a safer and more comfortable future in their homes and neighborhoods, and provides workers with a chance to offer hope to others: to challenge themselves; and to share their love, time and abilities with people who are in need.

Volunteers promise to allow God to work through them as "an example of His love and care to the participants, residents and neighbors."

Members of the work crew scrape paint from one of the houses..

Residents of the homes selected for the refurbishing project must qualify through the city of Raleigh, which provides materials.

Hope Builders provides labor.

The work that is done may include painting, replacing boards, cabinetry, roofing, and some plumbing and electrical work, as well as general cleaning, helping with tools and providing moral support. Teams work under the supervision of a skilled crew chief assigned by Hope Builders.

For safety reasons, workers are asked to wear long pants, sturdy shoes, hats and work gloves on the work site. Liability insurance is provided by the RBA policy. All workers must register with Hope Builders and complete a medical profile. First aid kits are provided for each crew.

Individual workers are responsible for an annual registration fee; a T-shirt and name tag are provided on the first work assignment. Each team is responsible for its own refreshment needs.

For more information, call Mary Hitchcock at (919) 562-1822 or JoAnn Stancil at (919) 231-3995.