ST. LOUIS — Community members across the metro spent their Saturday giving back. Whether it was cleaning up neighborhoods or repairing homes, the focus was on others.
Every nail drilled in, and flooring put down means more time in these four walls for Gay Stewart, who has called it home for over two decades.
Stewart was one of 14 homes 'Rebuilding Together St. Louis' and several local corporate partners restored Saturday.
"Today means that I get to stay in my house for another 10 years before I have to do any more updates," she said.
Updates that would've been more than Stewart could afford.
"Thank God for 'Rebuilding Together' because it wouldn't be done, if it hadn't been for them," she said.
Project Manager Anthony Gartner said over 200 volunteers made repairs for low-income older adults, persons with disabilities, and veterans.
"There's a lot of days I leave work in tears, I'm not going to lie, I love what I do," he said.
Gartner said they fix things on the inside and the outside and there's always one main goal in mind.
"We can keep them here and keep them safe, keep them independent, and just keep them going in their homes," he said.
Just 15 minutes north in the West End neighborhood, more St. Louisans were spending their Saturday doing good.
Keith Antone Willis Sr., 'Sundy Whiteside Keeping It Clean Initiative's Project Manager, said the organization's focus is on the cleanup.
"We believe that every single child in the city of St. Louis deserves to have clean and safe places where they can go and play in their neighborhood," he said.
Saturday's cleanup was one of 40 the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations is doing over the next several months for its 'Sundy Whiteside Keeping It Clean Initiative.'
Dorothy Sneed with the West End Neighborhood Association said they are hoping to impact nearly two dozen neighborhoods.
"It attracts people into the neighborhood, it helped cut down on the crime, and it just makes it feel safer and looks better," she said.
Whether they were picking up trash on the street or brightening up someone's home, these St. Louisans are truly showing what it means to be a good neighbor.
"They could have been doing a number of different things, and yet, they chose to spend the day working in my home and help them so that my house will be a safe place for me," Stewart said.
You can sign up to volunteer with 'Sundy Whiteside Keeping It Clean Initiative' here.