Local

Jacksonville company partners with nonprofit to help meet building needs of disabled people

A new company community outreach program is helping the disabled get out and get moving.

Employees at Stellar Energy have partnered with the nonprofit Builder's Care to provide no-cost construction to elderly and disabled people in Northeast Florida.

Construction workers built a handrail for a 93-year-old Jacksonville woman who had one that had rotted and was posing a safety risk. They also helped a 34-year-old who suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound that caused him to be paralyzed. The local man lives with his mother and daughter, and they were in need of a ramp.

Construction workers are currently helping JoAnne McFeeter, who needed assistance getting up the stairs with her walker to get inside her home.

McFeeter has undergone many complex medical surgeries and her ability to get inside her home was limited due to the stairs. The ramp the workers built allows McFeeter to have her independence back.

“Well, you don’t want me to come flying down and go meet my neighbors in the middle of the street,” McFeeter said.

McFeeter’s upbeat personality and sense of humor kept everyone smiling and laughing while the construction workers put some finishing touches on her ramp.

Cody Ostrander and the Stellar Energy crew designed and built a sturdy L-shaped ramp, so McFeeter feels confident on her feet.

“It’s a really good feeling knowing that my time is being spent helping somebody to make their lives better,” Ostrander said.

Ostrander said the crew is almost finished with the customized ramp but needs to build a slope ramp to replace a step, so the grandmother can easily access the ramp from her front porch.

McFeeter said the Stellar Energy construction workers are her heroes.

"I love them, and they've been really, really great," McFeeter said.

Builder’s Care receives about 40 requests a week from citizens needing help in repairing their homes.

Assistant project manager Noelle Quist said the local nonprofit is always in need of labor, material, volunteers and donations. Quist said Builder's Care typically helps fix minor roof leaks and constructs ramps.