Always Fighting for The Underdog: Meet Larry

Larry, a 72-year-old disabled Air Force veteran, has lived in his home for 41 years. Home Repairs for Good first helped him in 2020 when his shower was leaking and couldn’t be turned off. Fast forward to this past October, and Larry was one of 11 homeowners served during our annual Fall Repair Fest, receiving assistance from volunteers across the community. It was meaningful support for someone who is far more familiar with giving help than asking for it.

Larry’s commitment to helping others began early. As a teenager, he assisted people with reading and helped them fill out forms for food stamps. That desire to serve continued into adulthood and only grew stronger once he settled into his home. In 1993, he launched a food pantry at his church. He stocked a “bless box” with ready-to-go dinners for anyone who needed one, and on Mondays and Fridays, he drove around downtown handing out pizzas to people facing hunger.

“I always fight for the underdog,” Larry shares.

That same spirit guided him as a neighbor. He started a neighborhood crime watch, encouraging everyone to exchange phone numbers and call if they needed anything. He laughs that he “was like the 211” before it existed—always ready to connect people with resources or step in himself when he could.

Faith is at the center of Larry’s life and deeply shapes his outlook. “I want to walk with God until I am no more,” he says. For him, challenges aren’t something to resent but a part of life’s journey. Even as he has lost friends who once were there to support him, he remains someone who offers help rather than seeks it.

Over the years, Home Repairs for Good has stepped in when needed—from roofing and plumbing repairs to volunteers helping clear his yard.

Through it all, Larry continues to live a life of service, strengthening his community just as he once served his country.

Join us in preserving homes for older adults like Larry. By giving today, you become a part of our mission to keep homeowners in the places they love—for good.