Transformation at Gilgal
Atlanta – October 18, 2021 – HomeAid Atlanta held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, October 1 to celebrate a completed renovation at Gilgal in Atlanta. Gilgal serves women overcoming addiction, helping them to rebuild their lives. The project, led by Vince Longo of Vincent Longo Custom Builders provided a complete kitchen renovation, rebuild of the front porch, new flooring, fresh paint and lighting in the dining room, and clean-up/landscaping around the property.
Vincent Longo has supported HomeAid Atlanta’s efforts several times since 2013. He received the HomeAid Atlanta Builder of the Year Award in 2014 for leading a major renovation and addition at The Drake House’s office and classroom building in Roswell. The Gilgal project started small. Val Cater, Executive Director of Gilgal, asked for some kitchen cabinet repairs as the doors and drawers were falling off, but it soon became a much larger transformation. At the October 1 event, Longo said, “The first thing we all like to do in the morning and at the end of the day is get something out of the kitchen. It needs to be bright; it needs to be light. I wanted to do more and I knew I needed to pull together a team. My wife, Amber, said she would help. She encouraged me to go bigger and better on this project. We’re so thankful for magnificent support from our trade partners, the Vincent Longo Custom Builders Team, and HomeAid Atlanta. This wouldn’t be possible without them.”
The Gilgal renovation kicked off on August 20 with a volunteer workday. Volunteers from HB NEXT and Quantum National Bank spent the day working hard alongside Vincent Longo Custom Builders on several big projects around the home to prepare for the renovation. The group completed demolition in the kitchen, removing cabinets and countertops, installed new lighting and flooring, painted two rooms, took down wood railings on the front porch, fixed a fence, and rid the grounds of many unwanted and unused items.
Sean Carbonell, Construction Resources, and Founders Kitchen & Bath provided donations and deep discounts of materials and labor for the renovation, and Vincent Longo Custom Builders generously covered costs after donations. Volunteers from Whitefield Academy wrapped up the project with a landscaping workday. The project, valued at approximately $50,000, is a 100% donation to Gilgal.
At the ribbon cutting event, Gilgal’s Residential Manager, Rachel Dowdell, who graduated from the program herself, spoke about how helpful and uplifting it is to have a bright and clean environment when recovering from substance abuse. “It means a great deal to me to witness the before and after. When I was here as a client, the kitchen was dark and gloomy. Now when I walk through the doors and look at the work that you have done, I feel it gives the clients the sense of peace that is needed to recover from addiction. Thank you again for spreading your love here at Gilgal,” she said.