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Painting with a Purpose

Mar 16, 2017 -

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“Yes, we’ll do it!,”  said Faith Presbyterian (Aledo, Texas) Associate Pastor, Elizabeth Boulware Landes, when I suggested that some volunteers from Faith Presbyterian might want to help out with some painting on PCHAS’ Single Parent Family Program campus. “The entire outside of the building?” I asked. “Yes, we’ll do it! We want to be able to give our families an opportunity to be out in the community—to get them outside the safety of the church and put words into action. We also want it to be a multi-generational opportunity for families,” said Elizabeth. And so began the project: painting the outside of our Single Parent Family Program residence, which provides a safe haven for mothers and their children – families that would otherwise be homeless.

On a pleasant spring Saturday, volunteers showed up with paint, brushes and tarps in tow.  Thoughtful preparation had gone into the project, with Rev. Jim Witherow and several volunteers caulking the entire building a few days before the painting would take place. By the end of the day, mothers living at the residence were excited to see the fresh coat of paint, reveling in the difference a fresh coat of paint can make.


When asked what Faith Presbyterian thought of their experience as a volunteer group, Elizabeth responded, “It was really fun to see different ages working together, families volunteering together.  One parent even shared with me that her teen-aged son did not want to be there; he joined the group of volunteers reluctantly. He needed to leave early to participate in a baseball game, but he wanted to come back right after his game and paint some more!  We are grateful for the opportunity that allowed our families to share and give back to the community.”


By Ginny Lynch

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