Homeowner Paula Bonneau can’t help but think of the work that’s still left to do, looking around her new house in Hastings.

“The living room carpet, the stairway carpet needs done and I’m still in the process of refinishing the kitchen cabinets,” Bonneau said.

The Hastings woman runs her own hair salon. She used to live in the upstairs apartment, but when her grandchildren moved in, she knew they needed more space.

“We’re all going to miss my apartment. We really liked it, but it’s just too crowded,” Bonneau said.

That’s when Helping Hands of Cambria County lent a hand. They helped her purchase and renovate a house right down the street.

“We did some minor repairs, we painted, we put down new flooring,” said Fred Thomas, the director of Helping hands of Cambria County.

The non-profit helps families in need find decent and affordable housing. Volunteer JoAnn Tomb said helping people like Bonneau feels good.

“When she described her current living situation with her grandchildren, it was just heartbreaking,” Tomb said. “They needed a home. They needed someplace. They needed a yard. They needed someplace of their very, very own. It was wonderful to be able to help her.”

Bonneau said she and her grandchildren are excited to move in because they didn’t just renovate a house, they created a home.

“I think we’ll be real happy here,” Bonneau said.

If you’d like to volunteer or donate money or supplies to Helping Hands of Cambria County, visit the group’s Facebook page or call: 814-539-5965.