EATONVILLE, Fla. — A transformation is underway in the historic town of Eatonville, where volunteers from the nonprofit Rebuilding Together are working hard to repair and revitalize homes.
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Lois Billy, a longtime Eatonville resident, gave a tour of her home, highlighting the work being done.
“They are doing the trim over here,” Billy said, pointing out the progress. “I think they are doing a good job.”
The volunteers are addressing critical issues in Billy’s home, including mold remediation, kitchen and bathroom updates, and exterior improvements.
“We’re just going to spruce everything up,” said Lee Bien of Rebuilding Together. “As you can see, there’s been some landscaping done as well.”
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The project is part of a broader effort by Rebuilding Together to help Eatonville homeowners, many of whom struggle to afford necessary repairs. With support from Help CBC and BankUnited, the nonprofit secured grants to fund these much-needed renovations.
“In this specific home, when we took the counters out, the whole back wall was mold,” Bien explained. “We did a lot of mold remediation. You don’t realize how that can affect your health, especially over time.”
Billy, who has lived in her home for 30 years, expressed her gratitude for the improvements.
“You know, every so often you have to do upkeep,” Billy said. “It makes you feel confident. It’s my challenge—I wanted to find people and live like it represented.”
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Beyond Billy’s home, volunteers are also restoring her neighbor’s house, giving it a fresh coat of paint. If everything goes as planned, Rebuilding Together hopes to improve at least 25 more homes in Eatonville over the next few months.
The organization has already applied for additional grants to turn that vision into reality.
For now, the work continues, bringing new life to the historic town and its homes, one repair at a time.
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