Stats:
•San Antonio has the highest percentage of substandard housing for any major US city.
•23.8% of Blueprints target residents have an income below the poverty level.
(http://www.city-data.com/zips/78210.html ; 2000)
Description of Operation Restoration:
•Operation Restoration is the name of the week long camps that Blueprint runs each summer. With guidance from adult leaders, Jr. High and Sr. High students volunteer to provide safer, warmer and dryer homes for elderly and disabled homeowners.
•The repairs are done at no charge to the homeowners, although as a personal investment, each of the homeowners is invited to participate, as much as they are able.
•Our program is also focused on developing the youth volunteers to become respectful and responsible leaders who have hearts for service. Many of the youth also experience spiritual growth through the Bible studies, evening worship and guest speakers provided by Operation Restoration.
Objectives/Evaluation:
•Operation Restoration identifies homes on the south side of San Antonio that most desperately need repairs or improvements. Priority goes to elderly and disabled homeowners; and to homes that are not considered safe, warm or dry.
•Starting in the fall Blueprint identifies potential homes and works with the homeowners to agree on the most crucial projects. In the spring, youth teams are scheduled for the summer and Blueprint matches levels of volunteer experience with the appropriate repair projects. During Operation Restoration camps the projects are evaluated on a weekly (and often daily) basis. Projects not completed by the end of camp are finished by local volunteer teams as soon as possible.
Impact:
•Fourteen homes, and five churches have been repaired by Operation Restoration volunteers.
•200 students and adults have come from out of the city to participate in Operaton Restoration camps.
•100 students and adults from San Antonio have volunteered their time to help serve and coordinate our camps.