St. Joseph’s Helpers Build Free Wheelchair Ramps for Detroit’s Struggling Residents

A team of volunteers from St. Joseph's Helpers built a wheelchair ramp recently. The faith-based group finished the project for an 86-year-old woman who lost both legs. Not a penny charged.

Irene Tinnie couldn't get home from the hospital. She needed a ramp. The price tag would be thousands. But St. Joseph's stepped in. Their skilled workers showed up, tools in hand.

The connection came through City Council Member Angela Whitfield Calloway. She knew St. Joseph's track record of fixing homes at no cost. The group targets their work to seniors, veterans, and those who can't make ends meet.

This ramp stands as one success among many. St. Joseph's matches skilled workers with residents in need. Their mission is to fix homes when regular costs put repairs out of reach.

Thanks to the new ramp, Tinnie will soon roll straight from rehab to her front door. The structure gives her a path to stay in her own home, moving freely with her wheelchair.

The group weighs each aid request with care. Most projects go to older adults and those who served in the military. They run on gifts from donors and the sweat of willing hands.