FAQs: frequently asked questions
Application Process
How do I know if I am eligible?
There are a number of criteria Good Neighbors follows to decide whether someone can receive free home repairs. To learn whether you are eligible for Good Neighbors to do home repairs, please go to this page.
What would disqualify me from having Good Neighbors work on my home?
There are a number of reasons a person can be disqualified from having Good Neighbors work on their home. The foremost of these include having a Reverse Mortgage, owning a trailer home that is over 20-years in age, not having homeowner’s insurance, and not qualifying as low-income. To learn whether you are eligible for Good Neighbors to do home repair, please go to this page.
How does Good Neighbor’s Application Process work?
The Good Neighbor’s Application Process begins when we receive your initial inquiry. When we receive this, we will send you a Pre-Application to fill out and mail back to us using an envelope and stamp we provide. When we receive your envelope with the Pre-Application filled out, we will schedule a Project Manager to come and assess your home repair requests. If Good Neighbors is able to complete the work, we will schedule another time to visit with you and complete the full Homeowner Application. Once this application is finished and we learn whether you are eligible, a Project Manager will be assigned to your home. This Project Manager will track the project and its progress. You will be notified when the project is complete.
What documents do I need to have before meeting with the Applications Coordinator?
If you have already completed our Pre-Application Form, our Project Manager will come to your home to inspect the scope of home repair you are requesting. If this is a repair that Good Neighbors can accomplish, then our Applications Coordinator will schedule a time to meet you to complete the Homeowner Application. For the Homeowner Application, you will need the following documents:
All income sources for ALL household members and co-owners must be disclosed to ensure eligibility, including::
Home Repair Process
I completed the application process and work has not begun on my home. When will Good Neighbors repair my home?
This is a frequently asked question! As you can imagine, there are a lot of people in Chester County and New Castle County who need home repair. At most times of the year, we have between 40-60 projects on our queue that need completion. Unless it is an emergency, it usually takes 6-12 months before one of our Project Managers begins work on an approved client’s home. Good Neighbors prioritizes its home repair work based-on the date of a homeowner’s completed Application, the season of the year, and the scope of the project. If you have completed a Homeowner Application and are qualified for free home repair, please know that we try to complete each project as quickly as possible and have not forgotten you!
Will I know beforehand whether a Project Manager is coming to work on my home?
Yes! A Project Manager will notify you at least three days in advance before starting work on your home. When the Project Manager meets with you the first time, they will coordinate about the next available opportunity to work on your home. After this, the Project Manager and homeowner can discuss whether advance notification is necessary before each occasion of home repair.
What can I expect from the home repair process?
Good Neighbors assigns one Project Manager to every homeowner. This Project Manager will give you their contact information and should be able to answer any questions you have related to your home and its work. You will be notified by phone before work will begin on your home. After this time, your Project Manager and potentially additional volunteers will come and work on your home. The time duration of your home’s repair completely depends on the project size and season of the year.
Volunteers
Do I need experience in home repair to volunteer?
No! To volunteer with Good Neighbors, you do not need to have any home repair experience. Our Project Managers are trained in the necessary job-site skills and will teach you anything you need to know. We do ask that are you be physically-fit enough to maneuver the obstacles of a worksite, carry material, and potentially climb ladders.
Are there ways to volunteer outside of working on a project site?
Yes! There are many ways to volunteer with Good Neighbors off the project site. Volunteer needs can include: bulk mailings, fundraising event support, and summer Youth Camp cooking and cleaning.
Does Good Neighbors host groups of volunteers from a business, church, nonprofit, or place of education?
Yes! Every month we receive homeowners that need projects accomplished that can use between 6-12 people. Groups can be smaller or larger than this, but this is our preferred volunteer group range as it allows our Project Managers to have more time to instruct and guide volunteers on the worksite. Volunteers can expect to have a project including: low-slope roofs, siding, window replacement, and drywall (to name a few possibilities).
How much time should groups of volunteers expect to spend on a worksite?
Volunteers can help on a worksite for a minimum of 4-hours. At Good Neighbors, we recommend that groups of volunteers spend a full 8-hour day on the worksite. This allows a group to prepare the project site and learn a skill through re-installation.
How can volunteers prepare for serving?
If you have questions, you can call or email our Volunteer Coordinator at: 610-444-1860 and office@GoodNeighborsHR.org.
Partnering with Good Neighbors
I would like to become a financial partner with Good Neighbors Home Repair. Who can I speak with to learn more?
We would love to speak with you more about becoming a financial partner of Good Neighbors. We would be happy to meet, discuss partnership opportunities, and even give you a tour of an active worksite! Please contact Brad Dunn by emailing: Brad.Dunn@GoodNeighborsHR.org or call: 610-444-1860.
How is Good Neighbors funded?
As a 501 (c)(3) organization, Good Neighbors is funded through private individual, church, and corporate donations as well as grants.
How can I learn more about Good Neighbor’s finances?
You can go to Guidestar to see our 990 tax return and other information Guidestar compiles for non-profits. Our 990 Form and Financial Statements (independently audited) are also available on this page. You will also find more information on how to financially give to Good Neighbors on this page.
If you have any further questions, please reach us by phone: 610-444-1860 or email: office@GoodNeighborsHR.org
How do I know if I am eligible?
There are a number of criteria Good Neighbors follows to decide whether someone can receive free home repairs. To learn whether you are eligible for Good Neighbors to do home repairs, please go to this page.
What would disqualify me from having Good Neighbors work on my home?
There are a number of reasons a person can be disqualified from having Good Neighbors work on their home. The foremost of these include having a Reverse Mortgage, owning a trailer home that is over 20-years in age, not having homeowner’s insurance, and not qualifying as low-income. To learn whether you are eligible for Good Neighbors to do home repair, please go to this page.
How does Good Neighbor’s Application Process work?
The Good Neighbor’s Application Process begins when we receive your initial inquiry. When we receive this, we will send you a Pre-Application to fill out and mail back to us using an envelope and stamp we provide. When we receive your envelope with the Pre-Application filled out, we will schedule a Project Manager to come and assess your home repair requests. If Good Neighbors is able to complete the work, we will schedule another time to visit with you and complete the full Homeowner Application. Once this application is finished and we learn whether you are eligible, a Project Manager will be assigned to your home. This Project Manager will track the project and its progress. You will be notified when the project is complete.
What documents do I need to have before meeting with the Applications Coordinator?
If you have already completed our Pre-Application Form, our Project Manager will come to your home to inspect the scope of home repair you are requesting. If this is a repair that Good Neighbors can accomplish, then our Applications Coordinator will schedule a time to meet you to complete the Homeowner Application. For the Homeowner Application, you will need the following documents:
All income sources for ALL household members and co-owners must be disclosed to ensure eligibility, including::
- Employment income (two current pay stubs)
- Social security income (statement from the current year)
- Disability pay
- Retirement pay
- Public Assistance (Food Stamps, statement letter)
- Child Support/Alimony (court order or report)
- Copy of 1040 Taxes – 2 previous years
- Proof of Mortgage who it is through and payments are current
- Proof of Homeowners Insurance copy of Declaration page
- Proof of Real estate Taxes current
- Copy of Deed, if possible
Home Repair Process
I completed the application process and work has not begun on my home. When will Good Neighbors repair my home?
This is a frequently asked question! As you can imagine, there are a lot of people in Chester County and New Castle County who need home repair. At most times of the year, we have between 40-60 projects on our queue that need completion. Unless it is an emergency, it usually takes 6-12 months before one of our Project Managers begins work on an approved client’s home. Good Neighbors prioritizes its home repair work based-on the date of a homeowner’s completed Application, the season of the year, and the scope of the project. If you have completed a Homeowner Application and are qualified for free home repair, please know that we try to complete each project as quickly as possible and have not forgotten you!
Will I know beforehand whether a Project Manager is coming to work on my home?
Yes! A Project Manager will notify you at least three days in advance before starting work on your home. When the Project Manager meets with you the first time, they will coordinate about the next available opportunity to work on your home. After this, the Project Manager and homeowner can discuss whether advance notification is necessary before each occasion of home repair.
What can I expect from the home repair process?
Good Neighbors assigns one Project Manager to every homeowner. This Project Manager will give you their contact information and should be able to answer any questions you have related to your home and its work. You will be notified by phone before work will begin on your home. After this time, your Project Manager and potentially additional volunteers will come and work on your home. The time duration of your home’s repair completely depends on the project size and season of the year.
Volunteers
Do I need experience in home repair to volunteer?
No! To volunteer with Good Neighbors, you do not need to have any home repair experience. Our Project Managers are trained in the necessary job-site skills and will teach you anything you need to know. We do ask that are you be physically-fit enough to maneuver the obstacles of a worksite, carry material, and potentially climb ladders.
Are there ways to volunteer outside of working on a project site?
Yes! There are many ways to volunteer with Good Neighbors off the project site. Volunteer needs can include: bulk mailings, fundraising event support, and summer Youth Camp cooking and cleaning.
Does Good Neighbors host groups of volunteers from a business, church, nonprofit, or place of education?
Yes! Every month we receive homeowners that need projects accomplished that can use between 6-12 people. Groups can be smaller or larger than this, but this is our preferred volunteer group range as it allows our Project Managers to have more time to instruct and guide volunteers on the worksite. Volunteers can expect to have a project including: low-slope roofs, siding, window replacement, and drywall (to name a few possibilities).
How much time should groups of volunteers expect to spend on a worksite?
Volunteers can help on a worksite for a minimum of 4-hours. At Good Neighbors, we recommend that groups of volunteers spend a full 8-hour day on the worksite. This allows a group to prepare the project site and learn a skill through re-installation.
How can volunteers prepare for serving?
If you have questions, you can call or email our Volunteer Coordinator at: 610-444-1860 and office@GoodNeighborsHR.org.
Partnering with Good Neighbors
I would like to become a financial partner with Good Neighbors Home Repair. Who can I speak with to learn more?
We would love to speak with you more about becoming a financial partner of Good Neighbors. We would be happy to meet, discuss partnership opportunities, and even give you a tour of an active worksite! Please contact Brad Dunn by emailing: Brad.Dunn@GoodNeighborsHR.org or call: 610-444-1860.
How is Good Neighbors funded?
As a 501 (c)(3) organization, Good Neighbors is funded through private individual, church, and corporate donations as well as grants.
How can I learn more about Good Neighbor’s finances?
You can go to Guidestar to see our 990 tax return and other information Guidestar compiles for non-profits. Our 990 Form and Financial Statements (independently audited) are also available on this page. You will also find more information on how to financially give to Good Neighbors on this page.
If you have any further questions, please reach us by phone: 610-444-1860 or email: office@GoodNeighborsHR.org
