Fresh Coat of Paint for a Fresh Start
Strong connections are what brought Kevin Nolan and his company, Nolan Painting, to helping The Salvation Army – Norristown Family Residence Shelter.
Kevin Nolan started running Maniac Magee’s races 15 years ago. (One year, he and his daughter both won for their age group!) After learning that all proceeds from this race go to The Salvation Army – Norristown Family Residence, Kevin and his company, Nolan Painting, Main Line’s and Montgomery County’s premier residential painting company, began donating time and money to helping this cause.
Nolan Painting has been donating $250 each year for the past 10 years to Maniac Magee’s 5k Race, and also has volunteered its time by helping out at the race. Kevin remembers visiting the shelter 10 years ago when Chatham Park Elementary took a field trip there. After the visit, Kevin was hooked and wanted to help out as much as he could.
Recently, Nolan Painting contributed $4,000 worth of work to painting and revamping the shelter’s common areas. Nolan had gotten Sherwin Williams to donate all materials including the paint.
Bright yellows, blues and greens refresh the shelter, evoking optimism for a healthy, new start for these families. A fresh coat of paint, especially these bold colors, adds value to not only the shelter but to the shelter’s goal: to help improve and build confidence for these families in need. “Because we are working to help stabilize families and children in crisis, it is important that we offer a clean, safe and cheerful environment,” says Elizabeth Stamm, Emergency Housing Director, The Salvation Army – Norristown Family Residence. Elizabeth adds, “The donation made by Nolan Painting and Sherwin Williams enabled us to bring a much-needed fresh coat of colorful paints to the shelter and the children absolutely love it! We are so touched by their generosity.”
The Salvation Army – Norristown Family Residence offers families with children an opportunity to live in a safe place while parents improve their job seeking, parenting and life skills. Eighty percent of the adults are women, mostly single mothers, and many come from domestic violence. Eviction is another way that people find themselves in need of the service.
While the Norristown Family Residence may be a shelter, it is much more than that. Residents must complete two assigned chores a day. Parents are required to spend their days working on their budgets, looking for jobs and confronting their emotional issues and life choices.
About Nolan
As a leader in the community, Nolan Painting sponsors over 100 community events each year. In 2012, it donated over 1,350 hours of volunteer service, invested over $60,000 towards sponsorships and helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for great causes.