Good Works

The mission of Good Works is to transform substandard housing into homes that are warmer, safer, and drier, and in so doing, to replace homeowner despair with hope.

Read about a recent Workday

It has been such a pleasure to have so many of St. Peter's church members work alongside us on workdays. The homeowners that they have served through our Good Neighbors ministry have been very blessed by the love, care, and practical help that they have received. We could not do what we do without the prayers, volunteers, and financial support of churches such as yours—Patti Wilcox, Good Works Assistant Director

Mrs. Esther Johnson, seated, supported by her daughter Mary and surrounded by
Good Works volunteers at the dedication of the completed repairs of her home,
May 2005

About Good Works

• It is a Christian, non-profit ministry that has been helping low-income families in Chester County, PA with home repairs since 1988.

• Repairs and alteration to make homes warmer, safer, and drier are offered to the owners at no cost, primarily through volunteer labor.

• Each year, more than 800 volunteers donate 25,000 hours to assist more than 100 families with repairs that range from new roofs to electrical wiring to insulation to windows.

Thank you is not enough to show my appreciation for your assistance. I never would have been able to put a new roof on my house without your help. It’s a comfort to know that there are people out there who are committed to such acts of kindness. Thank you for your generosity.—A Good Works homeowner

Volunteer Opportunities
St. Peter’s Church commits its volunteers to work on one (or more) homes until the list of required repairs is completed. Each volunteer team 'adopts' that home, and the homeowner, through the completion of repairs, allowing a trust relationship to be established between the homeowner and our volunteers. Take a moment to read about a recent Good Works Workday, or see photo essays of past workdays.

Time commitment: A Good Works workday is held on the second Saturday of EACH month throughout the year. The St. Peter’s volunteers gather at 8:45 am sharp at the Good Works Warehouse in Coatesville - see directions - and our workdays generally end at 4:00 p.m. Our next Good Works Workday is Saturday, September 9, 2006.

Skills required: Whether you already possess significant construction skills, or are a novice simply willing to learn from one of several parishioners who provide on-site technical guidance, this ministry is for you. We promise that, regardless of your background, you will be enabled to make a contribution to project completion from your first workday. 

Contact Information
If you are willing to contribute a Saturday to share God’s love with people in need living not too far from your neighborhood, or have questions about Good Works, contact St. Peter's Good Works recruiter, Mark Carkhuff or at 610-935-1623. You are also invited to visit the Good Works website. And if you have already volunteered for a workday, but need directions to the Good Works warehouse in Coatesville, PA, where we meet at 8:45 a.m. sharp on the second Saturday of every month, click here.