Wheelchair ramp built at senior home by Home Depot volunteers

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Six Home Depot associates helped set the wheels in motion of a $5,000 grant awarded to Friends of Isabella Seniors by building a wheelchair ramp.

Friends of the Isabella Seniors combined resources with Isabella Community Commission on Aging on Dec. 7 to utilize the grant from the Home Depot Foundation to benefit Maple View Estates East, 11101 E. Pickard St.

“It’s always nice to help people,” said Home Depot employee Alan Schroeder. “We had a great outcome.”

Schroeder led his fellow employees in the unpaid volunteer work.

The grant came in the form of a Home Depot gift card, according to the news release. The Home Depot Foundation has committed $30 million over the course of three years.

“It was a pretty dirty job,” Schroeder said. “We designed the wheelchair ramp from start to finish.”

Ginny Cain, treasurer of the Friends of Isabella Seniors and gold key program coordinator of Isabella County Commission on Aging, said with the grant, helping hands volunteers plan to focus on projects to ensure safety, reduce the need for heating and conduct needed repairs.

Friends of Isabella Seniors applied for the grant, which was also used to help people be independent in their homes.

Schroeder and associates also installed a new toilet for a low-income veteran, equipped with bars to increase accessibility.

The Isabella County Commission on Aging aims to keep people independent and in their homes, Cain said.

Helping Hands volunteers plan to install smoke, fire and carbon monoxide combination alarms.

“The recipients must be low income and work on homes must be included,” Cain said.

The alarms will have voice-activated and sound capabilities, Cain said.

Schroeder said he and fellow associates help out around the community monthly, and every few months those who volunteer take part in a big project.

These grants are awarded to nonprofit groups, public schools and other community organizations who work to improve the community.

Team Depot Captain Miranda Nessan said associates from the Mount Pleasant Home Depot will next be volunteering at the Isabella Community Soup Kitchen Feb. 1.

Six associates will fill time slots from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We like to get out there and give back as much as possible,” Nessan said.

Those assisted by Team Depot must go through a nonprofit organization, Nessan said.

“We try to do something once a month,” Nessan said.