Q. What are the selection procedures for Paint The Town™ candidates?
- Upon receiving applications, Paint The Town™ staff review them for completeness and income qualification. Each homeowner’s circumstances are considered on a case-by-case basis. Homes are chosen for evaluation in April, and a Paint Evaluator assesses the structure’s need for paint and repairs. The homeowner(s) must be present to meet with the Paint Evaluator (those chosen will be contacted with further information). Having your home evaluated does not guarantee that you’ll have your house painted – this is just part of the application process. Once the evaluations have been completed, homes and teams are selected and matched in May. Paint and supplies are distributed to the teams in late May, and they can begin preparing homes for painting. Paint The Town™ day is June 9, 2012.
Q. I am filling out the Candidate Application. What qualifies as a disability?
- Paint The Town™ seeks to assist senior and/or disabled households. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides specific definitions for a disabled household and for a person with a disability:
- A disabled household is defined as a family whose head, spouse, or sole member is an adult with a disability. Disabled households can be:
- a single individual with a disability living alone;
- a related family in which the head of household or spouse is a disabled person;
- two or more related adults with disabilities living together;
- two or more unrelated adults with disabilities living together; or
- one or more unrelated adults with disabilities living with one or more live-in aides.
- A person with a disability is defined as an individual who:
- has a disability as defined in Section 223 of the Social Security Act; OR
- is determined to have a physical, mental, or emotional impairment which is:
- expected to be of long, continued and indefinite duration; AND
- substantially impedes his or her ability to live independently; AND
- is of such a nature that such ability could be improved by more suitable housing conditions; OR
- has a developmental disability as defined in Section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act.
Q. I am disabled. What kind of verification of my disability should I submit with my application?
- Your disability can be verified in a variety of ways, including (but not limited to) documentation from a government agency, doctor, medical professional, peer support group, non-medical service agency, or third party professional who in their professional capacity knows about your disability. Homeowners younger than 65 must submit verification of disability to qualify for Paint The Town™.
Q. One of the members of our household is disabled. Do we qualify?
- According to the Paint The Town™ Candidate Application and HUD’s definition of a disabled household, one of the homeowners must be disabled to qualify. However, if you think your circumstances warrant further consideration, please apply and give us details about your situation in the “Tell us a little about yourself” section of the application.
Q. My home does not need to be painted, but my shed does. Can I qualify for Paint The Town™?
- Probably not. To qualify for Paint The Town™, your home must be in need of paint. Your home is evaluated and prioritized based on its need for paint, not the needs of outbuildings, garages, or fences. Our volunteer teams are only required to paint the exterior of your home, so you would not qualify for the program if your home does not need to be painted.
Q. My bathroom needs to be painted. Could a volunteer team help me with that?
- Volunteer teams are only required to paint the exterior of your home. For liability reasons, they do not complete home maintenance projects.
Q. Will I get to choose what color my house is painted?
- If your home is selected for evaluation, our Paint Evaluator will visit with you and show you our color palette. Based on his experience and your home’s current color, he will recommend certain paint. (Please note that we only require volunteers to apply one coat of paint, so our Evaluator doesn’t often recommend broad color changes.) We will obtain your approval before proceeding.
Q. I live outside of Boise. Do I qualify for Paint The Town™?
- Possibly. Paint The Town™ traditionally has teams do projects in the Treasure Valley and Mountain Home. You are not disqualified if you live outside of these areas – but a team will need to be identified in your hometown. Talk with your church or civic organization and have them apply! As a homeowner, you must meet all eligibility criteria and be chosen as a recipient.
NOTE: Paint The Town™ does not do projects in the City of Nampa, because they have their own program. If you’re a Nampa resident, contact Brush Up Nampa at (208) 468-5472.
Q. I am an individual and would like to volunteer. How do I get involved in Paint The Town™?
- Put together a team of at least 10 adults and submit a volunteer team application by April 13. Every year, over 100 volunteer teams (almost 2,500 people) paint approximately 100 homes. Due to the size of the program and the number of people involved, we cannot organize individual volunteers. Instead, we request that people form teams of their own. If you’d like more information on the responsibilities of a volunteer team, go to our website and click on “More Information About Paint The Town.” That will provide you with an informational slideshow.
Q. I am leading a volunteer team. Do we have to paint an entire house in 1 day?
- No - we recommend that you split up the project into multiple visits. Paint The Town™ volunteer teams are responsible for the following:
- Preparing the house for paint (removing dust, loose paint and debris)
- Applying primer to bare wood spots & caulk for appearance and energy conservation
- Painting the house exterior
Once you receive your paint and supplies at Distribution May 18-19, you can start prepping and painting at any time. Be sure to communicate with your assigned homeowner so they know when to expect you. You will have 3 weeks to work – we ask that projects be completed by Paint The Town™ day, June 9, 2012.
Q. Why are volunteer teams being asked to help raise money for Paint The Town™?
- Due to reduced funding, we cannot afford to paint as many homes, or accept as many volunteer teams, as in years past. Yet we received more applications last year from senior and disabled homeowners in need than ever before. The need is great, and we are appealing to our volunteer teams to reach out and help us raise the needed funds to make this important program happen. We ask that each team raiseat least $100. That can be accomplished through selling 12 "buckets" in our Buy-a-Bucket fundraiser or by simply donating $100.
Q. What if my team wants to sell more than 12 buckets?
- That would be great! $500 covers the cost of painting one home. This is a great opportunity for your business, group, or organization to donate or raise funds to finance the direct costs of your project. And in appreciation, we will give your business/group increased exposure by placing a yard sign at your house and name recognition in a newspaper Thank You ad. And don’t forget – every bucket you sell gives you another chance in our contest to win an iPad!
Q. How do I win an iPad?
- Buy A Bucket or Sell A Bucket. The more you buy (and sell) the more chances you have to win! If you are selling buckets, be sure to put your name and email address on the bottom right of the Buy A Bucket form (or in the "seller" field online) to get credit. See our Contest Rules for more information.
Q. Why should I Buy (or Sell) A Bucket?
- Many senior and disabled homeowners cannot physically manage or afford routine maintenance on their homes. They need Paint The Town™ to maintain their independent living status and keep their homes and neighborhoods clean. Since 1983, over 82,000 volunteers have painted almost 3,000 homes. We need YOUR help to make sure that Paint The Town™ continues for years to come!
Q. Can I send Buy A Bucket donation information to my friends via email or on Facebook?
- YES! We have made it easy for you to send the information via email or Facebook. Visit our Buy A Bucket website at http://nhsid.org/services/buy-a-bucket.html and download the form to email it to your friends. Or go to www.facebook.com/NHS.Idaho and the Paint The Town™ event page. Share it with your Friends!
Q. Who is Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS)?
- NHS provides education, housing and assistance programs to underserved neighborhoods and communities throughout Idaho. We are changing lives, one neighbor at a time through:
- Revitalize - Paint The Town™ and Rake Up Boise™
- Stabilize - affordable housing and community home loans
- Empower - homebuyer education, pre-purchase and foreclosure prevention counseling
