Brush with Kindness, a program launched by Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County, recently built a new ramp leading into the home of two Rochelle residents.
BWK is a program that provides services such a painting, landscaping and minor exterior repairs for lower income homeowners. This year alone, they are completing four to five different projects all throughout Ogle County and this was one of the first.
Hub City Senior Center officials reached out to the Habitat leaders about completing this ramp for the homeowner’s wife.
“The wife had recently been in the hospital and the husband was very concerned about her mobility and being able to get her in and out of the house without having a ramp already in place,” explained Vanessa L. White-Broome, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County.

She began speaking with the family and getting measurements in July. The work took about three weeks to complete, and it was just finished this last Friday. All of the funding for the project came from the Rochelle Area Community Foundation.
White-Broome said the project could not have been completed without the help from the foundation and the senior center.
“I want to put a thank you out to The Rochelle Area Community Foundation because without them we wouldn’t have been able to serve this family or do another project in Rochelle because these funds are so important for us,” she added. “We also appreciate getting the referral from the senior center there in Rochelle.
Prior to this ramp being built, the couple had to use a smaller ramp that was located on the side of the house. It was much smaller and did not work very well for access into the home. The new ramp is much bigger and is now located on the front of the house leading in to the main entrance.
“I actually went out met the homeowner and took some pictures and followed up last Thursday and he was just elated,” White-Broome said. “He was happy it came together so quickly and he was glad we were really able to help them with the situation.”
This was one of the first projects of the year to be completed within Rochelle. Habitat for Humanity has more smaller scale projects in the works for Rochelle, but nothing has been finalized yet.
Habitat for Humanity of Ogle County is also looking for more board members, if anyone is looking to serve on the board of volunteers they can contact White-Broome by e-mail at vanessawhite82@yahoo.com or by phone at 815-440-6598.