Giving back through home repairs for those in need in the Northeast

Hard at work on a Sunday morning, and not for their own benefit, but someone else's. Someone they've never met, named Sharon Sibley, of Northeast Philadelphia.

"Oh, I'm in shock, this is wonderful!" exclaimed Sibley.

Habitat for Humanity and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia are checking work orders off Ms. Sibley's to-do list, so that she, on a fixed income, can stay in her home.

"Repairing buckled sidewalk. We already did a large chimney rebuild for the homeowner and a bunch of smaller plumbing repairs," said Will Lambrakos, of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia.

Plus, they're installing a fence around Sibley's backyard for little Miss Ivy.

"This will allow her to let her dog out into the yard instead of having it pee on pee pads inside the house all the time," Lambrakos explained.

These invaluable repairs come with a perfect price tag for Sibley - free. The 58-year-old lives alone in the home she grew up in. She's been battling Multiple Sclerosis for decades. Last year, she fell and broke her back, making day-to-day life even more difficult. Volunteer Rachael Tannen says she's happy to help.

"It feels great. It definitely made it easier to connect to her knowing her backstory. We feel even better about the work we are doing," Tannen said.

The Sibley house repairs are one of six projects that Habitat for Humanity and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia are working on Sunday, all to help an aging population in need.

Jewish Federation says the Sibley home repair project was made possible with a $40,000 donation from the Jewish Federation Real Estate Group.

"It's helping me immensely. Again, I'm shocked and stunned because this is nothing that I could afford in the near future," Sibley stated.

A gift that will continue to give back to Sharon Sibley and Miss Ivy for years to come,