After his tour in North Africa with the US Air force, Mr. Armstrong was lucky to come home alive, having been injured after hitting a “bouncing betsie.” With that injury and other back injuries lingering in his daily life, he had been out of work since 1977.
These physical disabilities didn’t put a damper on his life however. Mr. Armstrong moved down to Florida from up Connecticut in 1988, right next door to his son in a St. Petersburg Neighborhood. He bought the house knowing it had needed some repairs but deemed them fixable.
He hadn’t foreseen having to use an oxygen tank. Mr. Armstrong’s determination keeps him going, so when it was time to repaint his bedroom, he started on this task without any assistance.
After a day’s work, he felt the pain and realized this couldn’t be done alone. A friend of Mr. Armstrong’s noticed paint peeling from his ceiling, window unit and unpaved driveway. He told Mr. Armstrong to look into the Home Repair Loan program through Tampa Bay CDC.
After talking with Tampa Bay CDC, he was deemed eligible for home repair loan and his home improvement quickly were underway. A brand new air conditioning unit, lighting, fan, refrigerator, and electric stove were installed. Perhaps 2 of Mr. Armstrong’s most favored new features are his paved driveway, making it easier to walk to and from his car with his oxygen tank, as well as a backdoor in his bedroom for emergencies.
These little improvements are often times overlooked by many. But for those who cannot afford to make these repairs and installations both financially and physically, the Home Repair Loan is able to provide. In tough times, Tampa Bay CDC is just a phone call away and is able to make homes comfortable and accessible once again.
