The Islamic Center of Midland (ICM) and Midland Area Interfaith Friends (MAIF) have stated that Phase One of Project Vernon Rebuild will be completed soon.
“We’ve worked so hard over the past few months to get more accurate quotes and find contractors who are reasonable and available to help,” said Umbareen Jamil, a member of the Islamic Center of Midland and co-director of Midland Area Interfaith Friends. “Mike from Roebuck Builders has been a real blessing. He worked with us to orchestrate this whole project and gave us a significant discount. They reinforced some of the internal structural walls and removed damaged drywall and insulation to preserve the electricity and plumbing. prepare. “
Vernon Loree is a resident of Hope and one of many families affected by the dam failures in May 2020. After devastating floods poured through the children’s home he helped his grandfather build, Vernon is unable to fix it without major financial resources. and physical contributions.
Phase one involves removing everything from the home, delivering a dumpster, removing existing insulation and drywall, structurally securing certain walls, electricity, plumbing, HVAC, and ordering the windows.
“As we have done for all of our projects with families affected by the flood, we try to stretch every dollar donated,” said Hayley Lodhi, member of the Islamic Center of Midland and Midland Area Interfaith Friends. “Searching for the best deals is time consuming, but it’s worth every penny we save. We’ve teamed up with Sumer from the Pro Team desk in Lowes (Midland) to get several of our items at a discounted rate. “
Jamil and Lodhi met Vernon in November when they were handing out gift certificates donated by two local churches. Vernon was not eligible for help from FEMA and suffered a lot of stress and trauma from the flood waters. They have since made it their mission to try and bring Vernon back to his home for peace of mind and sanity.
During the first phase, a storage room was rented and several volunteers came out to help remove items from Vernon’s house. American Waste Management gave a discount on the waste container, and they can keep it on site until the project is completed. Finney Electric rewired the entire house at a discounted price, and reliable plumbing and heating fixed the plumbing, both companies getting everything in order. The work is done and they are waiting for the inspection.
“As with most remodeling projects, unexpected things have emerged that have increased the price tag,” said Jamil. “The roof is leaking and the floors are noticeably uneven, so we spend double the amount on floor covering than estimated. On the other hand, we will recruit volunteers to significantly reduce those costs. “
The original estimate for the project was $ 60,000, but after looking for various discounts, the current estimate is now set at $ 55,000. The cost of Phase One is approximately $ 20,000 and Phase Two is partially funded. To date, ICM and MAIF have raised just over $ 33,000 and pledged an additional $ 8,000 but have not yet received it. They are still looking for financial support to achieve their goal and remember that every penny goes directly to this project as Jamil and Lodhi are volunteers.
To donate to Project Vernon Rebuild visit www.paypal.com/paypalme/islamiccentermidland or send check to: Islamic Center of Midland, 1801 North Stark Road, Midland, MI 48642.
For questions about the Vernon Rebuild Project, please contact the Islamic Center via email [email protected] or call 989-948-1012.
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