Volunteers To Make Home Repairs For Those In Need With Wallingford Workcamp

WALLINGFORD, CT — Starting June 28, nearly 170 church youth group members and adult volunteers will begin Wallingford Workcamp 2026 – a community-wide, weeklong effort to provide free, hands-on home repairs for those in need.

The First Congregational Church of Wallingford and Group Mission Trips are co-sponsors of the program and are hoping it mirrors the spirit and success brought to the town by Wallingford Workcamp 2018.

The project will provide free, hands-on home repair for those in need, specifically the elderly, low-income, disabled, or veterans, regardless of their faith. Home repairs – ranging from the building of handicap ramps to painting – will be performed in the Wallingford area.

Twenty-eight crews will take on repairs at 25 houses, said First Congregational member Lorraine Westervelt, who is involved with Group Mission Trips annually and also is the director of the Wallingford church’s mission this year.

“Watching the interactions between the youth and the homeowners is a highlight of my year,” Westervelt said. “The transformations of the home and the relationships are remarkable.”

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Westervelt said volunteers are traveling to Wallingford from Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia as well as throughout Connecticut. Sheehan High School is housing the volunteers, just as it did in 2018.

Over $25,000 has been raised for the project, including $10,000 from Rotary of Wallingford, $3,000 from the Trail of Terror, $1,000 from Wallingford Social Services, $1,000 from Ion Bank and $1,000 from Home Builders Association.

First Congregational Church has worked through Group Mission Trips each summer for many years to set up trips very similar to Wallingford Workcamp 2026. Bringing the mission home, it clearly needs church and community members and businesses to be involved.

For example: Church members have contributed ladders for weekly use and also will work on power-washing areas that will later be repaired. Furthermore, First Congregational plans to have 800 cookies ready to greet volunteers, said Nancy Tipping, the chair of hospitality for the workcamp and also a First Congregational member.

“There’s been an overwhelming response from our church to make cookies and from the community to provide snacks,” she said.

Neil’s Donuts, Restaurant Depot and That’s a Wrap – which will provide 20 dozen cookies – are among the businesses helping with the snack effort. Pizza restaurants are contributing, too, including Carini’s, Eastside, Hometown, Napoli’s, Paradise and Amore.