This story was co-written by Madiken Helsel. Madiken is a Greenville resident who enjoys business consulting for early-stage companies. When not working or volunteering with local non-profits, she likes to travel, hike, and run with her husband. Madiken volunteers with Rebuild Upstate to help share the
This blog post is a deeper-dive to Marlene’s story, which originally featured in our 2017 Impact Report. Madiken Helsel, the co-author of this post, is a Rebuild Upstate volunteer who helps Rebuild Upstate share stories of homeowners served. Just talking to Marlene on the phone,
James Mitchell has a history of helping others. For years, he worked at a women’s shelter and was a dedicated volunteer in his church’s kitchen. His motivation for serving others comes from his drive to share Christ’s love with others. Unfortunately, after years of helping
Jose, a 17-year-old boy with Cerebral Palsy in Greenville County, has been in a wheelchair his entire life. In order to enter and exit his home, his mother, Violetta, has had to carry Jose up and down steps on the front entrance, making daily transportation
Hannah Crawford was nearing her 75th birthday, but she didn’t feel much like celebrating. Her husband had been ill for two years, and they were facing hundreds of dollars in medical co-payments and bills every month. A post-retirement income provided by social security just barely
Viola has dementia, arthritis, and diabetes. She fell not too long ago and had to go to the emergency room. Viola has a particularly difficult time going up and down stairs; she needed a ramp to help her get in and out of her home
Mrs. Blakely is 68 years old. She had a leaky roof for quite a while. Her son tried to patch around the chimney, but it continued to leak. Rebuild Upstate’s volunteers from Earle Street Baptist Church patched her roof. Thanks to their contribution, her home
Laila is a little girl from China who was adopted by Upstate couple Joslynn and Jason McLaughlin. Laila has a rare muscle disorder that requires her to be in a wheelchair full time. Because their house had no ramp, she was unable to get in
