ROSEVILLE, MINN. (February 9, 2015) — For 20 years, the BATC Foundation has tapped the talents and resources of the member builders, remodelers, and suppliers of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities to help families who otherwise might not have the opportunity to have a safe and affordable home. The Foundation builds, remodels and repairs homes for Twin Cities families in need, often in partnership with local charities and organizations.
The Foundation couldn’t do this work without the support of the thousands of people who donate $5.00 to tour the Dream Homes and Dream Remodeled Homes during the Parade of HomesSM every spring and fall. Last year, visitors to the Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase® raised more than $100,000 to complete projects like these:
A Specially Adapted Home for a Local Hero
Army SPC Marco Solt is a Brooklyn Center native whose vehicle encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on his first deployment in Afghanistan. Marco lost both of his legs in the explosion and now uses prosthetics and his wheelchair to get around.
The BATC Foundation is proud to be partnering with Homes for Our Troops to bring Marco and his wife Gena a brand new, specially adapted home. Like every home built with the national organization, Marco’s home will be equipped with over 150 special adaptations including widened doorways, lowered countertops, roll-under cook tops and sinks designed to ensure full wheelchair accessibility. The Foundation’s Build Partner for this project is Accent Homes, based in Ham Lake, MN. Accent Homes will serve as construction manager, and expects to begin work this Spring.
Renovating Blue Bird House
Another project the Foundation will complete this spring is the renovation of Blue Bird House, a group home operated by Homeward Bound. Homeward Bound was formed by a group of parents who needed a high level of medical care for their children, but wanted a more home-like atmosphere than a nursing home could provide. Today, Homeward Bound operates three Intermediate Care Facilities and 14 group homes in the Twin Cities area for disabled children and adults.
The four young men who live at Blue Bird House needed more space, so Homeward Bound contacted the BATC Foundation to help. A typical 1960’s rambler, none of the rooms in Blue Bird House are large enough to accommodate the residents along with their medical equipment. The Foundation’s Build Partner, Vujovich Design Build, based in Minneapolis, will be adding a bedroom, family room and additional storage space. The changes are designed to better serve the residents of Blue Bird House and significantly improve their quality of life.
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The 2014 Spring Parade of Homes is sponsored by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and Minnesota Homeowners Alliance.
