Kaiser Permanente made “home sweet home” just a little sweeter for three homeowners in Decatur’s Belvedere community by providing home repairs through its A Brush with Kindness program.

“I needed a little help but I never knew they would come out like this. I am so grateful because I know I couldn’t have got this work done without them,” said Ida Thomas, who received yard work, fence repair, painted bathrooms and window caulking. “I have been living in this community for 15 years and this is one of the nicest things someone could do for you.”

The goal of A Brush with Kindness is to help low-income elderly or disabled homeowners maintain the exterior of their homes.

It is a partnership between Kaiser Permanente of Georgia, Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb, the Healthy Belvedere Initiative and the Belvedere Civic Club.

Through volunteer labor and donated materials, A Brush with Kindness offers painting, landscaping, weather stripping and minor repair services for homeowners who qualify through Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb.

Elaina Freitas and Minnette Beckford also got help from the program on Oct. 29. Freitas, who is from Idaho and has lived in Belvedere for one year, received repair work on her shed.

Volunteers also cut down overgrown tree branches and caulked windows and cleaned gutters around her home.

Minnette Beckford, who bought her Belvedere home in 1999, received a privacy fence, window caulking and gardening work. Volunteers will be returning to make driveway repairs.

“We are all about helping others so to see community members and staff working side by side for this sort of cause, it just makes me proud,” said Kaiser Permanente President Kerry Kohnen who took part by cutting down branches and repairing a shed door for homeowners. “We know Habitat gets dozens of requests and were honored that they are working with us for this partnership.”

The neighborhood improvement project was funded through a $90,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. Representatives say the repairs are intended to spruce up the seniors’ home as well as provide weatherization to make them more energy efficient.

“Many of these seniors’ utility bills skyrocket to over $500 in the winter. Our goal is to bring these costs down, while improving their standard of living,” said DeKalb Habitat for Humanity Interim Executive Director Jayne Watson. “We are all excited to be a part of this new program. Our group loves this kind of work because we’re not just making homes better, but making families better as well.”

For volunteer Susan Gooch, the cleanup gave her and her daughter, Renee Fowler, a pre-pharmacy major at Georgia Perimeter College, the chance to spend some time together while doing some good.

“We were looking for a way to help the community and we think this is a great cause,” Gooch said as she caulked windows with her daughter. “I’m glad we could work on this project together and I’m proud my daughter wanted to help .”