A group home for residents of Little City in Palatine got a makeover Tuesday when 50 volunteers pitched in to spruce it up — doing everything from painting and installing new carpeting to refinishing an outdoor deck.
Eight men with intellectual and developmental disabilities live in the two-story, five-bedroom house in the 600 block of East Palatine Road, which is one of 15 group homes owned by Little City Foundation.
The homes, three of which are in Palatine, are part of the organization’s Community Integrated Living Arrangement. The program provides people with disabilities the opportunity to learn to live as independently as possible in a home environment, while supported 24-hours a day by Little City staff.
“They’ll be very excited,” when they come home, Regina Brown-White, director of residence operations, said of the residents who range in age from 44 to 54. They were at workshops at Little City’s main campus while the work was being done, she said.
“This home has never been painted and just to have color is amazing for them,” she said. “It’s therapeutic for them. All the colors evoke different emotions. It is so much better than white. They’ll be overjoyed.”
Little City was given a $4,000 grant from Home Depot to pay for the carpeting, paint and other supplies, like light fixtures, while 50 employees from 10 stores volunteered to take on the project. The employees are part of Team Depot, which volunteers help with community-based projects.
Volunteers were working throughout the house, painting the kitchen a sage green, and the family room a dessert camel.
(PHOTOS: Little City home makeover.)
New light fixtures were being installed, while a staircase leading to a lower level was getting new carpeting. Downstairs, a room freshly painted blue was being turned into an activity center. There, volunteers were installing a vinyl floor, while storage cabinets were being built outside.
Stephanie Greco, 23, who works in the paint department at the Schaumburg Home Depot, painted, helped stain the outdoor deck and worked on the vinyl flooring.
“I love it. I love helping out others that’s what we’re here to do,” Greco said. “We go out and find volunteer jobs in our community to help out, donate material and manpower.”
Michelle Grempka, operations assistant store manager for the Palatine-based Home Depot, was overseeing the project, which she initiated.
She said that on top of refinishing the deck to the house, the resident were getting a new table, patio furniture and grill, “which they don’t know about yet.”
“I think it’s going to change their world,” Grempka said of the renovations. “Now, they’re going to walk in and have a warm, homey feel.”
LeAn Taylor, chief program officer for LifePath adult services at Little City, said the changes were going to be a pleasant surprise for the residents.
“It’s going to mean so much for the guys,” she said. “Their activity room is going to be a big, big surprise. They’ll be very thankful.”
The Community Integrated Living Arrangement consists of two Little City staff members at each group home on evenings and weekends, assisting residents with cooking, cleaning and participating in community activities. On weekdays, residents are either at work or participating in day programs at Little City.
Shawn Jeffers, Little City executive director, said what the volunteers were doing meant much more than just a check.
“Today, they are making a difference,” he said.
