Mark, 63 Year-old Journalist, Makes The BLOCK Project Home
The BLOCK Project is profound in its depth of LOVE. Scores of ordinary people have stepped forward with extraordinary acts of kindness and generosity. Nowhere is this more evident than in those opening their backyard for a BLOCK Home, saying literally, “YES, in my backyard.”
BLOCK Home #5 Hosts Kathryn and Jeff got married just two weeks prior to Mark, the newest BLOCK Resident, moving into their backyard.
Kathryn said, "We are two people with an available backyard. How could we not do something when 12,000 people in King County live without a home?" Jeff added, "I said yes because I love Kathryn. She is genuine, and she lives her values."
Mark, who moved into his BLOCK Home over the weekend, was a journalist in Bremerton when he learned he had congestive heart failure. The newspaper told him they would like to keep him employed through his illness, but they couldn't. After getting out of the hospital Mark became homeless for six months. He said, "Every day you have to fight to keep your spirits up, you have to believe in yourself to be able to push forward." Just five days after moving into his BLOCK Home, Mark shares that he has not felt this comfortable, this at home, in many years.
THANK YOU TO BLOCK HOME 5 SUPPORTERS
Mark's BLOCK Home, like all BLOCK Home's, was community funded, community built, and community supported.
The highly sought after construction company Lockhart | Suver built the home for under $35K, providing ALL labor for free. Mark Urquhart, the Project Manager, put in countless hours of his own time building and managing the work. Keep in mind that a unit of supportive housing typically costs between $300-$350K, ten times a BLOCK Home!
Shawn Sandoval, with "Plumbers Without Borders" & Superintendent at Holmberg Mechanical provided his time for free; American Standard donated the plumbing fixtures; Dovetail General Contractors provided cabinets for free; Active Engineering donated the electrical labor; Solterra donated (8) solar panels; Weisman Design Group donated the landscape design; Mutual Materials provided discounted pavers; Cal Portland donated 6 yrds of gravel; Issaquah Cedar & Lumber Co. donated all cedar for decking & hemlock for trim; Cardinal Heating & Air donated the HRV & labor; Mighty Energy Solutions provided the free radiant ceiling panel; NW Partners LLC donated Vaproshield WRB; Pin Foundations Inc. provided free diamond piers; Milesi and Barron Specialty Coatings provided clear coat 50% off; just to name a few!
It is easy to see how wonderful you are Mark, wishing you the very best as you begin a new chapter of opportunity and hope, living in a loving community that believes in you!