Four Lucky Senior Citizens Are Getting Free Home Repairs


Four Lucky Senior Citizens Are Getting Free Home Repairs

CHICAGO - June 25, 2024.  Saturday, June 29, is designated as “Give Back Day”, a day of providing free home repairs for four senior citizens in the Chatham and Auburn Gresham communities of Chicago. 

The brainchild of Black Expo Community Development’s CEO, Suzanne Stantley, whose Building Better Futures gun violence prevention program will utilize the skills of 20 individuals who completed their construction and job readiness training program, to assist low-income senior citizen homeowners, make repairs to help restore various areas of their homes.

Building Better Futures (BBF) is a program that provides a path to a better life for individuals whose lives have been negatively impacted by gun violence. Working in collaboration with community partners and government agencies, BBF connects victims or survivors with a host of services such as mental health counseling, burial, food, clothing, housing and other supportive services to help them and their families get back on their feet.

The program is unique in the way it offers individuals 18 to 40 from the Chatham and Auburn-Gresham a multi-faceted multi-week training program in some highly specialized areas of construction. “Give Back Day allows us to showcase what participants have learned in the construction training phase of the program by providing home repairs for seniors who otherwise may not be able to afford them,” says Stantley.

Under the supervision of the construction businesses Allstate Concrete and Glasstek, who were their instructors, BBF participants will perform life safety repairs, painting, basic porch repairs, broken window glass replacement and much more. 

“By helping to mitigate violence we help make communities more livable and Give Back Day helps seniors’ homes become more livable as well,” says Stantley.

The four recipients will also receive another gift for being the winners of this contest: a gift hamper chocked full of home essentials that will come in handy, a tea kettle, a cloth throw, a tool kit, a festive door wreath and more.  “We want the seniors who are the winners to know that our organization and the men and women who will make the repairs and the construction business owners who will guide the repairs care about and appreciate them.  Life can deal a tragic blow to so many individuals who find themselves unable to manage basic repairs to their homes.  We hope the assistance being provided will help make their lives a little more pleasant and a little easier for the seniors who won,” stated Stantley.  “And we are delighted that the BBF participants will also be graduating at the end of month.” 

For more information visit Buildingbetterfutures.us.

About Black Expo Community Development Inc.


Black Expo Community Development is a 501(c)3 organization focused on education, training, community outreach and services to victims of crime.

The founder and CEO, Suzanne Stantley, an MBA degreed professional with more than forty years’ experience in marketing and communications also co-founded and was CEO of the highly successful National Black Expo, a consumer exposition that ran twelve years in Chicago and other cities until 2002. 

A proven leader in business development, community engagement and collaboration, Stantley continues to be a vocal proponent of inclusion to open up the doors of opportunities for all who are prepared to meet the challenge and seeks partnerships and alliances to solve problems. She recently was invited to the White House along with 49 other small business owners from around the country to learn more about the Biden administration’s efforts in support of small businesses and communities around the county and was a guest on Yahoo! Finance where she discussed the visit.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Expert Tyronne Studemire