Northeast News
May 15, 2013

Christmas in October is now accepting applications for its 2013 program.

Now in its 30th year, Christmas in October has rehabilitated more than 7,500 homes in the Kansas City metro.

“We’re trying to change lives in neighborhoods one house at a time,” said John Summers, managing director of Kansas City’s Christmas in October.

Work has ranged from painting to roof repair to replacing a faulty furnace. Handiwork varies with each home and focuses on “warmth, safety and dignity.”

Each home rehabilitation averages $2,000 and costs the homeowner nothing, Summers said. Annually, the economic impact is $3 million.

Last year, Christmas in October rehabilitated approximately 250 houses and approximately 6,000 volunteers showed up ready to work Oct. 6, Summers said. At least six homes in Northeast benefitted from the project last year.

To qualify for the program, the homeowner applicant must:

•Own only one residence, the home in which they currently live;

•Lack the finances or resources to have the repairs completed

•Not have received assistance from Christmas in October in the past year.

In addition, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

•Be age 62 years or more

•Have a physical disability at any age

•Be a veteran or have a veteran living in the home.

To apply, visit http://www.christmasinoctober.org/homeowner and click on the “2013 Resident Application” located at the bottom of the page. Applications should be turned in as soon as possible. For more information visit http://www.christmasinoctober.org/ or call (816) 531-6443.