Real Homeowners, Real Stories

A person in a motorized wheelchair on a wooden accessibility ramp outside a house.
Woman using a walker on a wooden porch, wearing a pink robe and red socks, smiling. She holds a railing for support, with some tools visible nearby and a mask hanging around her neck.
Three people standing outside a house. An elderly man with a cane, an elderly woman with a walker, and a middle-aged man wearing a red shirt and denim shorts. The house has a visible house number "27" on the siding.

For many, a home is more than just a place to live—it’s the heart of everything. But when crucial repairs are out of reach, that sense of security can quickly slip away. Meet the homeowners whose lives were transformed after receiving Revitalize Milwaukee’s critical repairs.  From roof restorations to plumbing fixes, these are the stories of how small actions led to major impacts—bringing peace of mind, restoring safety, and sometimes, even saving homes from devastation. The repairs weren’t just about walls and roofs; they were about restoring hope.

Ready to discover how the right help can change everything? Let these real-life stories show you how sometimes, the fix you need is more than just physical—it’s life-changing.

“I can’t even explain how much of a difference REVITALIZE MILWAUKEE made for me.”

-REVITALIZE MILWAUKEE CLIENT

  • A man and a woman sitting on a couch, both smiling. The man is wearing a white t-shirt, and the woman is in a gray t-shirt. A framed picture is on the wall behind them.

    "I thank God for Revitalize Milwaukee. I didn’t have the money to do what I needed to do. Thank you very much."

  • A family portrait of two adults and a child smiling against a gray background. The man is wearing a light sweater with stripes, the woman is wearing a dark blazer, and the boy is wearing a green shirt with a patch on it. The family is closely positioned, showing a happy and connected moment.

    "Revitalize Milwaukee was considerate and helpful with all repairs made to our house."

  • Three people posing in front of a house, including an elderly couple with a walker and a man in a red shirt. The house has a porch with a wooden rail and a white door.

    "I feel safe now. Thank you revitalize milwaukee."

Patricia and her six kids

“For the past four years, they lived without a working furnace or running water.”

Patricia is 49 and has nine children, six of which are under ten years old and live with her. She makes a little over $1,162/month, which equates to $13,944/year. For the past four years, they lived without a working furnace or running water. That meant no showers and no working toilets. They heated the home with the oven and a space heater. Patricia has a severe hoarding disorder that led to the rooms in her home being unable to serve their purpose. The bedrooms had so many clothes on the floor that the door couldn’t shut and the beds weren’t accessible. The kitchen clutter meant the sink and countertops weren’t usable.

Patricia was ready to receive help, but didn’t know where to turn. Her children’s school therapist pointed her to us. As the only provider of free home repairs, we were the only option. Kathy, our Construction Manager, walked through Patricia’s home. She identified that Patricia needed a new furnace and water heater; a new toilet, sink, vanity, and new plumbing in the bathroom; new cabinets, countertops, a new sink, and new plumbing in the kitchen; new doors to the bedrooms, bathroom, and exterior. However, before any of those repairs could be made, the house had to be de-cluttered.

Because this was such a big job, we partnered with the children’s school and WE Energies. The school paid for the hoarding clean-out company and WE Energies split the cost of the furnace and water heater with us so we could have enough money to complete the other repairs. Once the house was cleared out and the bigger appliances were installed, we completely transformed the bathroom and kitchen. In the bathroom, the pipes coming out of the wall were replaced by a new vanity and sink. The toilet pipes were snaked so they could flush the toilet for the first time in four years. The plumbing for the shower was repaired so they could finally take a shower that we all take for granted. In the kitchen, we replaced her lower cabinets, countertop, sink, plumbing, and oven so they can cook and store food properly. Lastly, we replaced the deteriorating exterior doors to keep Patricia and her family safe from her abusive ex-husband as well as the interior bedroom and bathroom doors to give everyone privacy when they need it most. Shortly after completing the repairs, her ex-husband returned to the house and attempted to kick the door in to get to her and her kids and was unsuccessful.

Patricia now lives in a home she is proud of and safe in, and her kids can go to school focused on their schoolwork.

A dirty white door with glass window panels covered in mud and graffiti, surrounded by gray siding.
White exterior door with an arched window panel, surrounded by gray siding, with two lit exterior lights to the right.

AFTER

BEFORE

Jose is a retired foundry worker who has lived with diabetes for over 20 years. He was born in Mexico and moved to Milwaukee in 1979 where he has spent 27 years in his current home.

As a result of his medical condition, both legs were amputated and he now uses a wheelchair. With no ramp allowing him easy access in and out of his home, his daughters had to carry him up and down the stairs but often found they could not do it alone. “We literally had to knock on neighbors’ doors to see who could help us,” his daughter Silvia said.

Jose’s New Ramp

“his daughters had to carry him up and down the stairs but often could not do it alone.”

Wooden accessibility ramp and deck attached to a house
Two elderly individuals sitting on a couch with a curtain in the background.

Jose’s lack of mobility caused him to suffer from depression—he missed being able to enjoy the outdoors and trips to his favorite place, 7 Mile Fair. On his 68th birthday, we were happy to let him know that a contractor would begin building a ramp for him.

Not only did the ramp help Jose regain his sense of independence by allowing him to leave and enter his home safely, but it also alleviated his depression .