Carbondale community rallies together to keep family under one roof.

Local Habitat affiliate facilitates the remodel of a Carbondale family's home to accommodate son with special needs.

Carbondale, CO, December 7, 2007 – The saying "It takes a village to raise a child" is alive and well in Carbondale. Community volunteers are working together along with Habitat for Humanity to remodel a family's garage into an apartment, nicknamed "Mikey's Place" for Michael Grandbois, who is challenged by cerebral palsy and autism.

According to Peggy DeVilbiss, the family's long-standing friend and mortgage broker, "Without the addition of a separate apartment to the home, Michael may have been destined for a group home away from his family. Now, once he rises to the top of the state's waiting list, he will qualify for around-the-clock care from a skilled caregiver." State laws dictate that in order to receive funding and disabled adult care, the recipient must live in a home separate from their family. Additionally, each state has a waiting list to receive adult care. Michael has been on Colorado's waiting list for over 10 years and is now nearing the top of the list.

Since hearing about the family's situation, various members of the community have come together to help Habitat for Humanity with the project. Architect, Nancy VA Smith, plumber Russ Criswell, contractor Keith Brand and electrician Jon Beck from West Valley Electric have all offered their services at no cost or greatly reduced fees. All Phase Electric has donated electrical materials and supplies, Mountain Roll-Offs, Inc. is providing the worksite dumpster and Dahl Plumbing has offered to make the plumbing fixtures for the home more affordable. Bighorn Toyota is donating funds to offset the cost of the kitchenette Other individuals and companies are also pitching in to help. The bulk of the construction will be completed by Habitat's volunteer base along with many of Michael's family's friends in the valley.

Habitat's goal with the remodel is to turn the existing garage into a safe and comfortable place for Michael to live. Efforts will be made to ensure Michael's safety, such as using radiant floor heating rather than unsafe exposed baseboards and building a lockable kitchenette. The bathroom will be specially designed to accommodate Michael's needs, as well. An additional bedroom and bathroom will exist above the garage apartment where Michael's caregiver can reside.

Michael's mom, Becky Young, speaks glowingly about the support the community has shown their family, "Ever since Michael was born, the community has accepted and embraced our family. The support we've felt over the years is reflected in the way we're seeing this community come together to help us with this project. It is a small miracle to see this happening."

The family hopes to raise funds for the remodel and increase awareness about cerebral palsy and autism by holding a benefit dinner and dance in January. Alpine Bank has also offered to create an account for anyone wishing to make monetary donations for the project. The goal is to raise $30,000 by the end of January to fully fund the remodel. Donations can be made at any Alpine Bank location under the account name "Habitat/Mikey's Remodel."

Anyone interested in volunteering to help build "Mikey's Place" can contact Habitat for Humanity at 945-7733.

About Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork Valley
Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork Valley (HHRFV), an independent affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. HHRFV builds new houses in partnership with homeowner families, sponsors, volunteers, and communities to eliminate poverty housing in the Roaring Fork Valley while serving as a catalyst to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Within the coming months, HHRFV plans to break ground on a single-family home in the Cleveland II subdivision in Carbondale and a duplex in Rifle and has recently opened a ReStore Building Supply store in Carbondale. For more information, visit www.habitatroaringfork.com.