Tuesday, May 17, 2016
YOUNGSTOWN
A former city resident who still loves his hometown is coordinating an effort that will bring about 300 volunteers together to paint the houses of four lower-income senior citizens – one on each side of Youngstown.
Calling it Operation Paint Brush, Jon Howell, a 1980 South High School graduate who lives in Bloomington, Ill., said the event will have members of more than 30 Youngstown-area organizations paint the houses and make minor improvements Saturday and Sunday. The painting starts at 8 a.m. and will conclude about 3 or 4 p.m. each day.
“We want to raise the quality of life in Youngstown, and to do that, you need to improve housing,” Howell said. “My wife [Adrienne] and I started thinking about what we could do and came up with this. We are helping people who can’t help themselves.”
Howell is an information technology manager at State Farm Insurance, which is based in Bloomington.
Others involved in organizing the effort include the Rev. Lewis Macklin, pastor of Holy Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, a longtime friend of Howell’s; as well as Ian Beniston, executive director of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.; and Dominic C. Marchionda, city-university planner at Youngstown State University’s Regional Economic Development Initiative.
“We’re doing only one house on each side of town, but if everyone sees us do it, it becomes something that others will do in the neighborhoods,” the Rev. Mr. Macklin said. “We hope it inspires others to do this elsewhere.”
The houses were selected from a list of properties that YNDC has of homes owned by seniors who cannot do exterior painting, Beniston said.
The houses are on Catalina Avenue on the North Side, Lucius Avenue on the South Side, Elliot Lane on the East Side and Thurber Lane on the West Side.
Other cleanup programs will occur near the houses being painted, Beniston said.
Howell “wants to do something positive for the city,” Beniston said. “We’re always happy to see people getting involved in projects that beautify the community.”
“It’s a good feeling to help people, but it’s more about building bridges with these numerous organizations and bringing the community together,” Howell said.
Howell and his wife will pay for the paint and other materials as well as the food, though some of the food is being donated.
“We believe the best days of Youngstown are still ahead,” he said. “We want to make Youngstown a better place to live. Operation Paint Brush is another way to give back to the city.”
Mr. Macklin described Howell as being “genuine and sincere. He’s not looking for credit. He wants to make things happen. He’s not rich. He’s generous. He loves Youngstown.”
In 2015, the Howells provided police officers and staff with food and gifts to thank the department for the work it does, and had a separate, but similar, event for city hall workers for the same reason.
Those wanting to donate painting supplies or volunteer can contact Howell by phone at 309-826-5136 or by email at jonl_howell_873@comcast.net.