CHENANGO COUNTY – The Impact Project is making waves in the community, as it addresses various housing issues for local residents. Just recently an Earlville woman, Kathy Sweet, had a ramp built by the organization and numerous volunteers. As a result of the ramp she is able to safely leave her house.

“The (previous) ramp was too steep for me,” said Sweet about the older ramp before it was replaced. “I was afraid if the house caught fire I wouldn't get out.”

With approximately 40 volunteers from The Impact Project, Lowes in Norwich, First Baptist Church, Colgate University and other places the 67-foot-ramp was constructed in four and a half hours. Some also worked on landscaping her property.

“They did an absolutely fabulous job,” said Sweet. “They treated me like a queen for the day.”

She continued, “I'd like to thank everybody for all of the hard work they did. This makes it so much better for me.”

She explained that before the new ramp she was only able to leave her house for doctor appointments.

Sweet is just one of the numerous community members that The Impact Project seeks to help. The Impact Project's website states its mission, “We help low-income families maintain and increase equity in their homes and stabilize their housing situation through repair and rehabilitation projects.”

“We're finding a tremendous amount of people that don't have proper access in and out of their homes,” said Jim Willard, founder of The Impact Project.

While accessibility is one major issue for an aging demographic, there are also issues with electricity, windows/doors, heating, plumbing and flood damage. He explained that in the last 18 months The Impact Project built seven ramps. Furnaces have also been replaced and currently, seven families are requesting that their roofs be replaced.

“I think the two floods that we've had and the last winter... the weather has really been a component,” he said when explaining the origins of the severe water damage. “Families have not been able to keep up with the maintenance. The weather has accelerated these issues for people.”

Severe weather has impacted homeowners more recently, but other factors such as ill health and lack of family support have further pushed homeowners to look for assistance from outside sources.

Willard explained that The Impact Project focuses on helping homeowners with low income.