Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise is collaborating with the national volunteer group World Changers to provide exterior renovations like painting, pressure washing, porch repairs, landscaping and fence repair to 20 properties in the Oak Grove and Ridgedale neighborhoods.
World Changers, a Christian-based organization with thousands of volunteers, is known for assisting low-income communities across the country. This week, volunteers ranging in age from 11 to 71 are working in Chattanooga through Friday.
Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise has been active in Ridgedale for the past five years and in Oak Grove for the past three, focusing on building community and giving residents a voice, said Gracie Morales, the organization’s community engagement specialist. In Oak Grove, the organization recently assisted residents in developing a neighborhood plan centered on beautification, safety and accessibility. Partnering with World Changers will enhance those efforts for many residents, officials said.
World Changers has worked in Chattanooga for the past 20 years, previously partnering with the city of Chattanooga. However, when funding was cut, Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise established a new relationship with the volunteer group. This is the first year workers have focused on Oak Grove and Ridgedale, two of the city’s lowest-income communities.
“For residents in these communities, making home improvements is often on the back burner,” Morales said. “It’s more important for them to put food on the table than to do repairs to the outside of the home.”
The new partnership between Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise and World Changers provides much-needed relief for underserved populations, including single mothers and the homebound, officials said.
Contact Jennifer McNally at jmcnally@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416.
