DALLAS — Tyran Eddington and his friends do just about everything together.
“We grew up in the same neighborhood. We used to share each other’s clothes,” said Eddington, Dallas United for Good Founder.
Their bond is as tight as their care for the community.
“A lot of the issues and resources that are in the community are good, but there are also unique problems that are not being addressed,” said Eddington.
They started Dallas United for Good to help meet residents’ needs. One of their programs called T.A.R.P. stands for "Tackling A Real Problem."
The group provides minor home repairs for seniors. The crew didn’t know the South Dallas woman's home they worked on Friday, but they saw the need for repairs.
“It seems to be like a dip inside the roof or something probably was disconnected and it’s causing a leak inside the house. I see there's a lot of missing shingles,” said Eddington.
“At the end of the day as a human, we need shelter. If your shelter is broken, then that is a huge issue,” said Tori Pipkin, Dallas United for Good Director.
The group said there are several reasons as to why many seniors’ homes need repair.
“A lot of seniors are experiencing roofing problems and not necessarily having the finances or the insurance or even the paperwork to get help,” said Eddington.
He said when they turn to the city for help the process can sometimes take a long time.
“Usually, the city gets in contact with us before they start sending out code violations for certain things,” said Eddington.
In some cases, seniors may not qualify for city housing repair programs.
“A lot of these houses in this area have been pretty much given or passed down to other family members. And throughout that transaction, usually, the new homeowners don't have access to the deeds. They don't have the paperwork to qualify for the programs that the city allows,” said Eddington.
It's only a temporary fix for homes like the one the group repaired Friday. The home is owned by Meredith Bush whose great grandfather built it in 1917. She happened to come home when the crew was finishing up repairs.
“I was surprised. I did not expect them to be doing this kind of work,” said Bush. “I thought actually they were just going to come and look and see what needs to be done.”
“It may not be the absolute end-all solution they need. But we put them on a better path,” said Pipkin.
They are strengthening a bond with old friends and repairing a bond for a new one.
“It’s raggedy and it’s mine. I thank God for it,” said Bush.