Dozens of volunteers Paint the Town
Nearly 100 volunteers joined forces July 6-7 to Paint the Town at the 40-unit Springboard Collaborative Pallet Village for the homeless in Georgetown.
Organizer (and cheerleader) of the event was Kathleen Schell, who has been a strong advocate and supporter of the village since its inception.
She said adding coastal colors to the shelters gives the community a new feeling that promotes individuality. “I’m thankful to be a tiny part of helping the team who created the village,” she said.
Jud Malone, Springboard Collaborative executive director, said Sherwin Williams donated the paint, the Overall Paint Co. did the large task of taping prior to painting, and the Schell Brothers design team developed the color scheme. He said a sponsor-a-cottage initiative has raised $20,000 so far.
Supporters of the project include Big Fish Charitable Foundation, Building Supply of Delmarva, County Bank, CrX Construction, Fulton Bank, Jack Lingo Asset Management, Jud Malone, Justin Healy, Kathleen Schell, L&W Insurance, Meoli Companies, Ocean Atlantic Companies, Ocean Atlantic Sotheby’s, Schell Brothers, Silicato Development, Alyssa Titus and Andy Buehler, Dennis Huff, Jeff Ronald and Farhang Javar.
In a partnership among Town of Georgetown officials and nonprofits Springboard Collaborative and First State Community Action Agency, construction began on the Pallet Village off North Railroad Avenue Oct. 17, 2022, when trucks from the Pallet Co. in Washington state delivered the cabins. It is the first Pallet shelter village in Delaware, although Malone said the goal is build more villages throughout the state. The village opened Jan. 3.
Each of the 64-square-foot shelters contains one or two beds with bedding, heat and air conditioning, and storage space. Since the units do not contain plumbing, two bathroom/shower units are part of the village. Meals are provided, with plans to construct a dining/community center.
All residents are able to avail themselves of services from various organizations that provide financial and job training, healthcare services, mental health services and more. A staff of case workers, security personnel and operations personnel is on site.
Malone said each resident establishes a set of goals during the intake process. “Our navigators help them achieve their plan,” he said.
Those goals could include finding a job, obtaining documentation or seeking substance abuse treatment.
