More than 750 volunteers repair houses in Birmingham

More than 750 volunteers repair houses in Birmingham

Teenagers and adults from several states — including Florida, Illinois, Ohio and Georgia — are volunteering to repair houses and enrich communities in Birmingham during June and July.

They are working as part of World Changers. Their groups’ logistics — housing, food, etc. — are coordinated by the Metro Changers ministry of Birmingham Baptist Association (BBA).

More than 750 volunteers will work on 60-plus houses, averaging 125 hours per volunteer each week. The volunteers will work on projects in at least six areas of the city. The first two weeks of work were done June 17–30 and the final week will take place July 17–20.

“The volunteers are filled with a desire to help in the lives of elderly and low-income families,” said Butch Henderson, director of Metro Changers for BBA and coordinator of World Changers projects in Birmingham.

World Changers is sponsored by LifeWay Christian Resources’ student ministry department. It began annual events in Birmingham in 1992 with the help of Brimingham’s Community Development office, Henderson said, adding the mayor’s office also supports the effort.

The City of Birmingham funds the building materials through a grant and homeowners must qualify for assistance, Henderson explained.

Metro Changers is a yearround ministry engaging community volunteers to assist in eliminating substandard housing in the Birmigham metro area, he said.

For more information, call 205-796-5128. (BBA, TAB)