A Christian nonprofit group is eager to help Solanco homeowners.

Good Neighbors Home Repair, an organization founded in Kennett Square 33 years ago, has been helping Southern End residents for the past four years and is hoping to assist more.

"We provide critical home repairs for low-income neighbors, and repairs are free," Good Neighbors executive director Harold Naylor said.

Naylor said the group focuses on four types of repairs: fixes that make existing homes warmer, safer, drier, and healthier.

"We are trying to serve the folks who can put food on the table, can keep their lights on, and drive a car, but don't have any money for deferred maintenance," Naylor said. "So when windows start leaking, everything from heating, venting, and air-conditioning systems to water heaters to sump pumps, there's no critical infrastructure repair that we cannot do within the Good Neighbors ministry."

A division within Good Neighbors called "Healthy Homes" helps disabled people by making mobility modifications, including ramps, railings, and grab bars.

Good Neighbors started in 1992 by Jay Malthaner out of a Bible study class at Kennett Presbyterian. It began in southern Chester County before spreading to New Castle County in Delaware and then to the Solanco School District.

"It was a grassroots effort, and it grew organically," Naylor said. "The reason we were able to expand is because, as a Christian ministry, we dedicate everything we do to God's glory. We share the Gospel with everyone we meet, the Good News that Jesus saves sinners. He has given us a heart for folks in our community that need help. We've been blessed with talent and financial resources that we can do that. The Lord has blessed our work."

Good Neighbors is expecting to serve 240 families this year. "We're trying to keep people in their homes, and we found that there are a lot of people that are on the edge of losing their homes," said Naylor. "Our goal is to keep them in their homes by providing critical repairs so they can live and age in place."

Good Neighbors is supported by a mix of revenue sources, including individuals, churches, businesses, family foundations, and public-private partnerships. The work is done by a professional staff, trained contractors, and lots of volunteers, which keeps the costs reasonable.

"For every dollar that we actually spend, if you tried to buy that on the commercial market, it would be two to three times more expensive because we have volunteer labor and get purchase discounts from building suppliers," Naylor said. "We get discounts from the trades that we use because we don't turn around and resell it. They want to partner with Good Neighbors to help us do it."

Good Neighbors also partners with local churches and organizations such as Solanco Neighborhood Ministries. "It's very important for us to have a ministry hub in an area," said Naylor. "People who have their fingers on the pulse of the economics and demographics."

Solanco Neighborhood Ministries' executive director, Teresa Dolan, stated she is happy to join forces with Good Neighbors. "They've helped several of our families," she said. "They've built wheelchair ramps, repaired some decks, fixed a broken heater this winter, and helped a homeowner who had frozen pipes. They are very responsive. They've been great to work with."

Solanco Neighborhood Ministries refers some of its clients to Good Neighbors. "When we have homeowners who need repairs and they are unable to afford them, we contact Good Neighbors, and they will look at the home, see what's needed, and see if they can help them."

Depending on the work needed, jobs can be completed in one day or take as long as two or three months for the entire process.

There are 90-plus approved projects ready to go. "There's always more demand than ability to serve it," said Naylor. "We have the rest of the infrastructure but are always in need of technical resources, people, and finances."

Naylor promises professional-level work. "We don't cut corners just because people aren't paying for the work," he said.

To apply for a home repair project or to get more information, go to http://www.goodneighborshomerepair.org or call 610-444-1860.