Building on Generosity:

Our Florence Ave Duplex Takes Shape

The incredible $15,000 grant from BGCF365, awarded to Gleanings Housing in May, has been the financial foundation for the framing phase of our Florence Ave duplex build.

With the slab foundation complete in early August, we started framing on September 6th. Thanks to a dedicated crew of volunteers, we worked every Saturday throughout September, quickly moving from a concrete slab to a towering lumber frame ready for roof trusses. A huge part of this success was our volunteer framing foreman, who brought 35 years of professional knowledge to our team. Despite being disabled several years ago, he was a fixture on-site—walking with his cane and even climbing ladders—to provide a hands-on "Carpentry 101" workshop every week. Everyone learned essential skills (and the importance of wearing gloves!).

Moving into October, a subcontractor set the roof trusses and decked the roof. Our volunteers returned on October 11th to begin the interior framing and fire safety work.

Join the Final Framing Push!

We have a couple of workday scheduled for November 1st and 15th with the goal of installing windows and doors to complete the framing phase. Once the building is secure, we'll transition to our mechanical contractors for plumbing, HVAC, and electrical rough-in work. While they're busy inside, Gleanings Housing volunteers will continue outside by building porches and completing the exterior siding.

We still need volunteers! No experience is necessary—just a willingness to help us turn this structure into a home.