LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Habitat for Humanity and Lowes Home Improvement help Louisville residents enjoy aging in their homes.


What You Need To Know

  •  Habitat for Humanity making upgrades to several Portland Neighborhood homes

  •  Lowes Home Improvement makes major donation to fund projects in Louisville, nation

  • Betty Horn says she and her husband are physically disabled  

  • Volunteers build walk-in shower and handrails 

Louisville’s Habitat for Humanity not only builds homes and provides low-interest mortgages, the organization also provides grants to renovate homes for homeowners living physical challenges.

“It’s been amazing,” said Portland Neighborhood resident Betty Horn.

This week Habitat for Humanity Metro Louisville and volunteers from Lowes Home Improvement made some improvements in Horn’s home.

“It’s got great drainage. It all goes down in one spot,” Horn said of her new walk-in shower.

Horn and her husband have lived in her home for more than 30 years. The Horns have made repairs over the years, but the couple can’t afford major renovations and that’s where Habitat and Lowes come in.

The Horns applied for assistance and Habitat for Humanity awarded grants to five Portland neighborhoods, including the Horns’.

In a single day, contractors and Lowes volunteers installed a new accessible shower equipped with handrails and also hand rails were built for the Horn’s front and back steps leading into the home.

“My gosh. It’s meant so much,” said Betty Horn after the installation.

Betty Horn stands in front of her Portland Neighborhood Home (Spectrum News 1\Jonathon Gregg)

The longtime Portland Neighborhood homeowner and her husband couldn’t be happier.

“Being disabled it’s hard to get in and out of the tub and this I think will help us a great deal more because we are both disabled,” Horn said. “Have been for quite a while.”

It’s part of Habitat’s event called “Love Your Neighbor,” funding upgrades making spaces more assessable for homeowners as they age.

“So as our communities grow older, with all of our advances health and science, people are living longer and people want to stay in their home, they want to be comfortable and they want to have an easy life. We help people achieve that,” said Bolaji Ogbulu of Habitat for Humanity Metro Louisville.

Funding for the project is part of a two-year $6 Million donation to Habitat’s national organization from Lowe’s Home Improvement.

“I don’t have to worry about slipping and falling,” Horn said of her new shower. “They’ve got bubbles in the tub now, and it’s going to be great. I can’t wait. They say I can take a shower tonight.”

Funding for the project is part of a two-year $6 Million donation to Habitat’s national organization from Lowe’s Home Improvement.