December 4, 2023
At 80 years young, Pedro J. can remember first meeting his wife, Maria in Austin, Texas after serving in the military. 50 some-odd years later they are still a team, having raised a family of four in their older home on South Congress. Pedro had bought the home to avoid apartment living. It was 1970 and the house itself was built in the 40’s. Here the couple raised a family and Pedro, an electrical engineer, worked to support the family until his retirement. A war injury (taking a bullet to the hip) became a painful issue for Pedro and he relies on a cane or walker to support himself.
The family home, after years of busy family life, was shifting on its foundation, causing cracks in the wall and floor. Pedro came upon the Meals on Wheels Home Repair program through his nephew who had received services as well. After applying and being approved, contractors arrived at Pedro’s home and not only repaired the foundation, but with support from Meals on Wheels America and the generous funding from The Home Depot Foundation, they installed ADA features like a walk-in shower in the bathroom and repaired cracks in the wall and floor.