South L.A. volunteers repair home of disabled man

The smell of fresh paint floated down East 41st Place in South Los Angeles this afternoon as more than 100 volunteers armed themselves with paint brushes to spend the day renovating three low-income homes.

The event was organized by Rebuilding Together, a 20-year-old national organization that helps needy families with much-needed house repairs.

Neighbors looked on curiously — some with video cameras — as the organization canvassed the block with a band of volunteers that included skilled handymen and dozens of students. They painted fences and walls, cleaned up backyards and installed new windows.

"We’re blown away," Sunny Robinson, a resident who lives in the home undergoing the biggest make-over, told volunteers. "All you people are here for us. We’re just two people. Thank you so much."

The homeowner, Leroy Price, who is disabled and unable to work, was grateful for the assistance. He had applied for the program in the hopes of saving him home, which has been in his family for three generations.

Volunteers donated supplies and skills to repair the roof, fix the electrical system,  refurbish the floors, and paint.

--Esmeralda Bermudez