As you may know, Corvus Construction decided to give back in a different way this year. Instead of our traditional park cleanup, for our most recent Corvus Construction in the community project we found the perfect way to put our construction skills to work in our community. If you were following along on our most recent community post, you already know that Corvus Construction decided to lend a helping hand at Faith Family Village to get the pallet homes and grounds ready for families who are experiencing homelessness.
But, while we were helping get the Faith Family Village Pallet homes ready at one of the work parties, it started to rain, and we realized quickly that the homes all needed a “front porch” of sorts so the families could have a place to wipe their feet and keep dirt, gravel, and water out of the homes. So, our crew worked quickly to assemble 8 “porches” for them with door mats.
We started with wooden pallets that were treated for outdoor use and replaced any boards that weren’t up to our standards. After that, we attached multiple pallets together to make a larger landing and added extra support to the base. Then our crew spent time leveling them and making sure that the porches would be able to sit atop the gravel and still allow a natural door swing.
Once that was done, we stapled all-weather mats to the top of the platforms. The pallet porch design allows for the all-weather mats to be changed out as needed while providing a sturdy base to stand on when coming and going. Feedback from the village is that these porches are holding up beautifully and they are doing a wonderful job of helping keep the great outdoors where it belongs and keep the homes tidy.
Speaking of the great outdoors, we also did some gardening and ground leveling of the community playground during our work weekends, giving kids at the Pallet homes a great park to play in while they occupy these homes. Having a safe and beautiful park right outside their door is so important, and we wanted them to have the very best.
It was fun work with our amazing crew and we had a blast coming together with our community to make Faith Family Village a reality. I’ve seen firsthand the impact Faith Family Village has had on so many families since it opened this spring, and we love that we could be a small part of such a big project.
More info about the Faith Family Village housing project
Faith Family Village is located on the Faith Lutheran Church property and has the ability to house up to 32 people for up to 90-day stays. All the units are reserved for families with children, filling a huge void in other temporary housing options. Whereas many shelters in the area separate families and don’t allow men and older boys with women, Faith Family Village allows families to stay together, which is crucial.
The Faith Family Village housing is created by Pallet, an Everett-based company, that makes temporary shelters quickly — less than an hour per unit. Don’t be fooled by the name though, these aren’t homes built out of actual pallets. Instead, the units are made of aluminum and insulated panels, which give residents a measure of privacy and much-needed protection from the elements.
Note: If you know someone in need, please refer them to Interfaith Family Shelter as they are managing the pallet homes. Interfaith will be admitting families, accepting referrals from schools and 211 as well as taking calls on their intake line and submissions on their website. Interfaith will also provide families in the shelter with help transitioning to permanent housing after their stay at Faith Family Village is done.