As temperatures drop outside and the cold and wet weather season gets underway, Homage — an organization that provides critical services to Snohomish County seniors and adults with disabilities — is seeking donations for its home repair program.  As unprecedented demand for home repair services has outpaced its grant-funded resources, so Homage is looking for a helping hand from those who want to keep seniors warm this winter.

Homage assists homeowners with disabilities and low- and moderate-income homeowners aged 62 and above by providing health and safety-related repairs that they cannot perform due to lack of funds and/or inability to physically perform the repairs themselves. Services provided by Homage include things such as plumbing, weatherization, some roof repair, handrail/grab bar installations, minor carpentry and smoke alarm installation.

“Our purpose is to enable people to remain in their homes as long as possible,” said Homage’s senior manager of home repair, Cheryl Cadden. “We provide labor at no charge to the homeowner as well as materials that are either free or at cost, depending on a person’s income level.”

“The rising demand for repairs ranging from plumbing leaks to clogs, ADA toilets, and furnaces and water heater replacements, coupled with increased labor costs, have depleted our funds,” said Cadden. “We have already repaired or replaced 58 furnaces and 46 water heaters this year.”

Homage is seeking a total of $30,000 by Jan. 31 to ensure that it can meet the needs of its clients and help keep them warm this winter.

“Maintaining a home is difficult, especially on a fixed income,” said Homage CEO Keith Bell. “We believe everyone deserves a safe and healthy home, and we remain committed to doing whatever it takes to help people remain securely living in them.”

You can learn more about the program or donate on Homage’s website, found here.