Rita is Rich in Community

None of us are immune to unconscious bias, and it’s all too easy to get swept up in the empathetic feelings for those nonprofits serve, particularly when it pertains to vulnerable populations. I run into this often - I’ll speak about the older adults we serve or the critical repairs we’re tending to and the general reaction is a very kind “awww” with a mixture of pity and compassion in the tone. Let me be the first to say that Ms. Rita will flip that script on its head. 

Rita paved the way for women in politics in Indiana. She paved the way for Black women in corporate spaces. Ms. Rita Andrews served Senator Lugar for 17 years. Her time spanned from before he was Mayor on to when he was elected Senator. “At the time, I was the only Black person working in Suite 2501” said Rita with an air of earned defiance.“ “It was difficult back in that day.” Rita reflected on her start in politics being her home address. She grew up in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood which was mostly full of professionals, doctors, politicians—not Black families. She got in the door by an assumption, but she moved through her career with grit and hard work. 

Mayor Lugar invited Rita to join him in Washington when he became Senator. Rita wanted to go. She knew that would be a good career move, but her husband wasn’t supportive. “He didn’t approve of me being in politics,” Rita explained. “Back then women didn’t really have any rights.” When she broke the news to Senator Lugar, he kindly responded “Rita, God first, family second, job third.” He understood. In that era men were more in control of the family. They controlled the household earnings, the financial accounts, everything. Rita knew she wanted to have a child after she had had some career time first. She was successful in having a daughter and after ending her time with Senator Lugar, stayed home to watch her until she was old enough to go to daycare. 

Searching for a new job was tricky - For one thing, she was pregnant. For another, she was overqualified for most roles but knew she needed steady income. She landed at Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) and thrived. “They were so good there.” She worked with a small team to do the ear, eye and scoliosis tests for elementary schools. Together they covered the entire county. 

Over the years, Rita took advantage of women’s new rights in the eighties and nineties by divorcing her husband, taking control of her own financial affairs and living life by her terms. She remarried but later left that marriage as well. “He was much too materialistic,” Rita explains. “Not me, I know stuff won’t make you happy. I left with my purse and no plan and didn’t look back.” 

By the time Rita was in her late fifties, several medical conditions took her abilities to get around and do her job. She decided an early retirement was best, and try as they might, her team at the MCPHD couldn’t convince her to stay much longer. “They really did everything,” Rita remembers. “I would sometimes be in so much pain I couldn’t drive, they would take me to the schools for the tests.” When she got to the point where it was best to do desk work, they reworked her responsibilities. Even when it was time for her retirement party and she didn’t have the ability to attend - they brought the party to her. 

Rita had been living in apartments through this time. “I felt so confined in them.” Rita loved to entertain, have parties, enjoy the company of friends and family. She had been searching for just the right house, particularly the price. Once she retired, she used some of her retirement money to pay cash for a house in the Riverside neighborhood. “It was a wreck. Rita said with a little laugh. “But it was a solid structure.” Some sweat equity and help from family got her new home to a comfortable place. Her family was nearby which was the most attractive thing about the house. Built in 1966, the little 1,088 square foot home was what Rita had been looking for. A good gathering place with a sizable front room with the original hardwood floors, plenty of windows–sure, half of them were broken, but they did have marble window sills. 

Her home is the result of her wide scope of friends and family. From a friend who runs a janitorial service lending a helping hand with the deep, deep clean it underwent upon purchase to the grandson who comes over to help her with mopping and doing her laundry. “My washer is in the basement and they don’t want me doing that.” She was able to have her roof replaced through a community program and has done her best at maintaining what she can with the home. Though Rita had just one daughter, her family is close-knit, influential, and extensive. She has three grandchildren, two great grandchildren and 30 nieces and nephews. Everyone of her nieces and nephews hold higher education degrees, Master’s, PhDs. Rita is rich in community. They too help where they can.

Since 2020, Home Repairs for Good has been able to help Rita with more than 10 home repairs. The largest being the replacement of nine of her windows with new ones. “It was so cold in here I had to live with my daughter for a little bit!” Not to mention the safety scare of it looking like an open invitation to burglary. Rita is hoping to paint her kitchen, replace the flooring and find new cabinets for her kitchen. Ideally, she would have her washer and dryer moved to the main level of the home as well, to increase her independence at home. Now, at age 77, Rita is working through stage four kidney failure. “I’m still going to fix up my home,” said Rita. “I want to leave it to my family.”  

Rita’s not alone in her desire to do this. The vast majority of the homeowners we speak with in any given year have every intention of passing their home to their younger generations. Even if those kids, grandkids or beyond decide to sell the home—having the critical needs of that home secured allow for it to be a much greater asset to them than if it’s an “as-is” type of sale.

Home Repairs for Good was able to provide Rita with nine new windows, fully replacing nine broken ones. Her home is more energy efficient, safer, and overall more of a home fitting an older adult. Unfortunately, the funding we utilized for this significant repair has come to an end. If you would like to donate to our Home Stabilization Program and provide home repairs greater than $5,000 to homeowners like Rita, please give today.