This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

A House is Now a Home: Volunteers Help Marine Mom

Volunteers from two non-profits rebuild the home of a single mother whose Marine son has plans to be a Ridgewood fireman.

On a chill and cloudy Sunday morning, more than a dozen volunteers mill around Mary Walsh's South Broad Street home, dressed for a mess and lugging hammers and drills.

Alex Shinkar is on the roof putting up exterior siding. Mitch Gottlieb and Liam Walsh, Mary’s youngest son, are at the side of the house, digging post-holes for a new fence. Ellie Wasserman is in the driveway, assembling new shelves. Beside her, Richard Moskow is snaking out a clogged storm drain, which will allow the water to flow freely instead of backing up into the garage.

“Maybe you’ll hit oil,” says Stacey Orden, the building coordinator for Bonim Builders, part of the Synagogue Leadership Project of the UJA Federation of New Jersey.

Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bonim is coordinating efforts with two distinct non-profits tasked to improve the lives of those who could certainly use a helping hand.

Rebuliding Together Bergen County assists owners of low-income housing with homes in need of repair; the other organization, a program created by Sears Hardware called Heroes at Home, specifically aims to help military families and veterans.

Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This spring they are working on the home of Walsh, whose middle son, Brendan, is in the Marines.

“This is a very deserving family,” Stacey Orden said. “A single mom who needs our help.”

Inside the house on South Broad Street, Mary Walsh is scrubbing down the walls in preparation for a new coat of paint.

“It’s amazing to have so much help, something we could never do on our own,” Walsh said. She lives in Ridgewood with Liam and Fiona, her youngest daughter. Brendan, 19, enlisted in the Marines last year and is training on Paris Island. When he finishes his term of enlistment, he’s thinking of becoming a fireman in Ridgewood, if he can.

Walsh was put in contact with Rebuilding Together through the recommendation of Social Services. She applied early this year and was accepted in March.

“The fence is probably the most important. Or the siding. Well, it’s all important,” Walsh said. “It’s going to be beautiful when it’s done.”

The volunteers are working on 20 different projects in and around the house, including replacing the garage and interior doors, installing new appliances, and putting down a new kitchen floor. Joe Manela, an electrician with Belkar Electric, is installing an exhaust fan in the bathroom ceiling to prevent mold.

“We get volunteers from all skill levels, from novices to professionals,” Orden said. “All committed to making this house a home.”

The project will span six Sundays, extending into mid-June with a dozen volunteers working each four-hour shift. The work can only be carried out on Sunday, said Orden, because Saturday is Shabbat.

The volunteers represent nearly a dozen townships from around Bergen County.

Mitch Gottlieb, of Hillsdale, became involved after Stacey asked if he could help out. He brought his son to the first project he worked on, tearing down drywall at another home. “My son, he likes the demolition stuff,” Gottlieb said.

Peter Jonas found out Bonim through Temple Beth Or, in Washington Township.

“I’m just a lugger. He Who Lugs,” Jonas said. “But whether it’s that or painting or doing the prep work for painting- which is much harder- it feels great to help out.” His wife, Judy, is inside helping Walsh scrub the walls of her living room.

“This is a labor of love,” Richard Moskow said, without looking up from his work on the drain. At last he has made some progress; the water is draining, slowly but surely. “It’s called giving back.”

Bonim is working on another project at a Methodist church down the street, renovating the basement for Family Promise, a group that works to aid the homeless.The renovations will include the construction of a day center that will have computers for children to do homework and adults to work on their resumes, as well as showers and a laundry room. The work will be completed at the end of June.

Tikkun olam,” said Ordren, supervising volunteers as they work on the Walsh house. “In the Jewish religion, that means to repair the world. And we’re repairing the world, one house at a time.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?