Do it yourself darlin
Have you ever wondered how to fix a leaky faucet or repair a squeaky floorboard? For some, this information is passed down through generations, a valuable legacy that empowers families to maintain their homes. But what about those who never received this helpful knowledge?
Inequities in access to resources and education have left many communities without the essential skills to tackle a range of home repairs. From patching up drywall and unclogging drains to troubleshooting electrical problems and maintaining heating systems, the lack of foundational understanding can lead to costly repairs and unsafe living conditions. Often individuals face challenges in preserving their homes, leading to increased maintenance costs and potential housing instability.
Enter Annie Darlin Gordon, an East Price Hill resident and graduate of Habitat for Humanity’s AmeriCorps training program where she learned to build homes from the ground up. Having long recognized the importance of making home repair awareness accessible, she was able to bring Do It Yourself Darlin (DIYD) to fruition in 2020. Originally founded as a sliding-scale kitchen and bath renovation service for Price Hill homeowners with an opportunity to learn-while-doing, DIYD pivoted to its current workshop model in 2022, broadening the capacity to share home repair knowledge and skills in the Greater Cincinnati Area.
DIYD’s pay what you can workshops are taught by local Cincinnati craftspeople who are experts in their fields and have a passion for sharing knowledge! They cover a wide range of topics, from learning how to use a circular saw, to tiling, welding, and even an opportunity for prospective homebuyers to tour a home and learn about what components they should be paying close attention to in making their final decisions. But these workshops aren’t only for new or prospective homeowners – veteran homeowners, renters, people on a budget, people who don’t want to DIY but want to learn how to communicate more effectively with contractors, folks just looking to have fun or pick up a new skill and everyone in between can all benefit from this educational hub!
Funds from this round of the Community Blend Give Back will be used toward helping Do It Yourself Darlin expand their programming and increase the frequency of their workshops. Supporting the growth and sustainability of DIYD’s model will help bridge the home maintenance knowledge gap and empower individuals to build lasting communities and preserve housing stability for generations to come.
