PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The sounds of yardwork are being heard in one Portsmouth neighborhood, and the homeowner who lives here, Sandra Taylor, is so grateful it's getting done for free.
"It's not that I don't want to do it; I love outside work, but I physically can't do it and it means the world to me to see my yard kept up nice," Taylor tells News 3.
Taylor, a retired school teacher, says due to health reasons she can no longer do yard work. We asked prior to finding out about a special non-profit, how was she managing.
"Well, not too good. I would get out here and it would take me about five days to cut it," she answered.
She hasn't had to worry about it for the past two years, as the local non-profit Emanuel's Hope Foundation has been taking care of Taylor's yard for her.
Emanuel Yancey, who used to care for his grandparent's yard, is the founder of Emanuel's Hope Foundation. It's a non-profit he started to help seniors in need with their lawns in three Hampton Roads cities.
"I'm just very passionate about it and I enjoy it," Yancey said.
And why does he do it for free? "Because many of our seniors, they live in homes that physically they are unable to maintain like my grandmother was, and financially the resources are very limited and so they're not able to pay anyone to do it," he said.
Yancey wants to bring his team out to other families across Hampton Roads to help seniors in need. He needs help though, from other lawncare companies to expand and financial support.
"Oh it's a significant financial burden but when things are difficult, that's how you know you're on the right track and you keep pressing through and pressing forward and so I have support--I need a lot more support," he tells us.
I let him know News 3 got an email about what he's doing from another senior citizen, Sandra Neely.
Here's a portion of that email I read to Yancey, "Mr. Yancey answered the call dedicated to helping the Seniors, those who are physically and financially no longer able to care for their property. Being a senior myself and having received the service of Emanuel's Hope Foundation I am very pleased with the service. Truly Mr. Emanuel Yancey is an Everyday Hero."
For those reasons, News 3 presented him with an Everyday Hero award along with a $300 Visa gift card from our community partner, Southern Bank. He was very grateful.
"This means a lot to me. I mean to think about my grandparents and they're all looking down, I hope I'm making them very, very proud," he said.
If you'd like more information about how to help Yancey with his mission, call 757 488-1645 or you can alsoclick here.
