SNHS Partners with Chesapeake Housing Mission to Provide Critical Home Repairs to Low Income Families

Palmer. Michael, SVN Miller Team, 6.18 2022 (1)

SALISBURY, MD – Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Services (SNHS), a local non-profit serving community members through partnerships to increase home ownership and cultivate sustainable neighborhoods in Salisbury and surrounding areas, is pleased to announce a partnership with Chesapeake Housing Mission (CHM) to provide critical home repair to seniors and low-income families.

“Serving on the housing sub-committee of the Vulnerable Population Task Force in Salisbury, I connected with Don Taylor from Chesapeake Housing Mission and learned about the challenges homeowners are facing in order to remain in their homes safely,” said Cheryl Meadows, executive director, Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Services. “The timing couldn’t be more perfect because we had rehabilitation money available to meet community needs.”

In March 2022, the SNHS board of directors recognized the great work being done by Chesapeake Housing Mission and voted to donate $20,000 of their rehab fund to the non-profit for critical home repairs.  In June 2022, SNHS submitted a grant application to its chartering organization, NeighborWorks America, to further support the partnership with CHM. NeighborWorks America awarded SNHS $25,000 which has been passed on to CHM to continue to provide home repairs to local homeowners.

Critical repairs like the deck and ramp Chesapeake Housing Mission built for Michael Palmer of Salisbury. It replaced an old, damaged structure that was not safe for Michael to get in and out of his home on his wheelchair.

“They did a heck of a job and I really appreciate it,” said Palmer. “Before Chesapeake Housing Mission came to build me a new ramp, I could not leave my house to get to doctor appointments. What they did is such a blessing.”

“We know there are quite a few more people just like Michael who need help with these types of critical home repair projects. Right now, we have fifty-eight families on a waiting list,” said Michael Franklin, executive director, Chesapeake Housing Mission. “The money SNHS is providing is helping us build wheelchair ramps, patch roofs, repair flooring, install handrails in bathrooms and stairwells and take care of water damage to prevent mold from growing in the home. This is the first time we have worked with Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Services, and it is genuinely a perfect union.”

“Warmer, safe, drier. That is what we strive for,” said Don Taylor, Chesapeake Housing Mission development director and founder. “As the only organization serving the lower four counties with critical housing repairs, we are always looking for partnerships to support the mission. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Cheryl and her team to expand our reach and truly build community on the Lower Shore.”

For more information about Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Services, visit salisburynhs.org or call 410.543.4626.

About Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Services

Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Service (SNHS) is a 501c(3) non-profit organization serving targeted neighborhoods and populations in the City of Salisbury Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties. Its mission is to cultivate sustainable neighborhoods with partnerships and lending that inspires self-reliance, growth, and optimism. For more information about SNHS, visit www.salisburynhs.org or call 410.543.4626.

About Chesapeake Housing Mission, Inc.

Chesapeake Housing Mission, Inc. (CHM) was formed to provide critical home repair services through Christian Mission to low-income families living in the Chesapeake Region, and CHM is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 non-profit. CHM partners with volunteer teams from local organizations, giving them the opportunity to help families in need in Maryland’s Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. For more information about CHM, visit www.chesapeakehousingmission.org.