(Greater Schaumburg) - Fellowship Housing provides support, mentoring and affordable housing for single moms and their kids who are in crisis. The families are homeless, or nearly homeless, and desperate. Moms receive training, counseling, support, love, and accountability from a Christian caseworker. With training in personal finances, job skills, parenting and lots of love and mentoring, families are able to graduate from the program in a year or two, move into their own house or apt, and are self-
sufficient. This ministry really changes lives!
One person, Ken Evans, volunteered to help fixing, repairing and maintaining the apartments. Here is what he said.
“My wife and I were at New Community when we heard about Fellowship Housing’s need of volunteers. We talked about it briefly and I picked up some info and called the office to see if there was something I could do. I left messages with each of the FHC staff that were responsible for the various things that I was interested in doing. I also offered to do maintenance repairs to any of the units that they thought needed work.
While I was waiting for a response from Fellowship Housing, Bill Hybels preached the message on “Holy Discontent”. That was when I realized that this was my “Holy Discontent”--single moms need a better maintained place to live and I could help. The apartments needed a lot of work. Some folks from the Schaumburg area heard about the needs.
Since the Schaumburg area neighbors go involved a month ago we have completed the following: painted the conference room of FHC, painted a two bedroom condo, a one bedroom condo and the three floor stair railing for the building. We have repaired closet doors, numerous light fixtures, closet poles, electrical outlets, a bathroom floor, a bedroom drywall ceiling, baseboard heating covers and an electric stove. We have also installed a garbage disposal, laid ceramic tile and washed walls, windows and floors throughout the entire six condo building.
We had the help of more than sixty skilled and unskilled volunteers donating more than 200 hours to 
this project.
While working on the building single moms have brought their children to help us paint. The volunteers have been from ages twelve to seventy. In spite of being busy people, these Willow folks desired to serve someone else. And that has been overwhelming.”
Pat Benson was one of the neighbors that stepped up to help Ken. He has been at the apartments each Tuesday and Thursday evening and Saturday morning for the past several weeks and has invited many people to join him.
This is from Pat...
“A local contractor donated 150 hours of skilled labor to FHC. His team was able to replace the rotten sub floors under tubs & toilets--work that is beyond the skill for most of the volunteers.
We needed floor tile that cost at least $433.00 for each of the three baths that needed repairs. God moved in the hearts of Schaumburg neighbors and we received enough to complete two bathrooms.
Last night two little boys peeked out their apartment door and watched a father and young son painting the beat up railings. In a soft voice one of little residents asked if he could paint too. The father & son took the boys hands and helped them paint the railing. Instantly bridges were built.”
