MARYVILLE, Tenn — On Tuesday, Hope with a Hammer had the job of making a bathroom more accessible for an East Tennessee family that recently found itself with new accessibility needs.
"This family has a daughter who has found herself paralyzed and just needs a shower to get in and out of. What's it to us to give just three or so days of our life to improve the situation of a person who really needs some help?" said Peter Boros, the director of Hope With a Hammer.
On top of repairs, the group builds at least two homes from the ground up each year for people facing poverty or hardship. After heavy storms, the nonprofit also makes repairs to homes, making sure families have safe places to live regardless of any challenge they may face.
"Contractors are coming in and asking these people for $6,000 or $7,000 to cut their trees. We come in with professional guys and they ask how much it'll cost and we say, 'Nothing.' You see people sometimes break down and cry," said Peter.
The group said that it finds families' stories through other local outreach programs that contact them, and it's now focused on creating change outside of Tennessee and expanding to surrounding states.
Peter says that it's more than transforming people's homes — it's about caring for those in your community.
"It's a hard job but the most rewarding one I've ever done," said Peter.