Two doors, one project
One side of this is a neighbour asking for help. The other is a neighbour offering it. Here is exactly what happens on both.
Asking is free and it stays private
Fill in the request form
It takes about five minutes. Tell us what is wrong in your own words - you do not have to know the right names for things. If the form is hard to use, call us and we will fill it in with you.
We read it and decide
A person on our team reads every request, usually the same day. Nothing is posted anywhere until they approve it. If we need to understand something better, we will phone you first.
It goes on the mission board
Our volunteers see what you need and which town you are in. They do not see your address, your phone number or your last name.
A volunteer offers, and we approve them
We check every match before anybody is sent to your door. Only then do they get your address and your number, and they will phone you to agree a time that suits you.
The work gets done
You can follow the whole thing with your tracking code, right up to the day it is finished.
Say yes to one mission at a time
Set up a volunteer account
Name, email, town, and what you are good at. It takes two minutes.
We approve you
We read every application by hand, because we are sending people to strangers' homes and most of them are elderly and alone. You will get an email as soon as your account is active.
Claim a mission
Browse the board, pick something you have the tools and the time for, and offer to take it. Say how many of you are coming and roughly when.
The match is approved
An admin looks at the match. Once it is approved, the mission is yours and you get the address, the phone number and the notes about getting in. Call the family before you go.
Do the work and post an update
Mark it started, mark it finished, and leave a note on the timeline so the team and the family can follow along.
Straight answers
Does it cost anything?
No. The help is free and we will never ask you for money. Our volunteers give their labour. If parts have to be bought, that is a separate conversation and we will have it with you honestly.
Who are the volunteers?
Neighbours from churches around the Tri-Cities, Tennessee. Plumbers, electricians, carpenters, mechanics, retired nurses, people with a truck, people with a free Saturday. Every one of them is approved by our team before they can claim a mission, and approved again for each specific match.
What if I need materials paid for?
Say so on the form and tell us roughly what it will cost. We cannot promise to cover it, but we would far rather know at the start than find out halfway through. Sometimes a volunteer covers it. Sometimes a church does. Sometimes we have to be honest and say we cannot.
How long does it take?
Your request is usually read the same day. After that it depends on what you need and who is free. Urgent things - no heat, no water, something unsafe - go to the top of the board. A ramp or a roof can take a few weeks to line up the right people.
What if I need to cancel?
Just call us on (423) 292-1922 or email help@blueridge-us.com with your tracking code and we will take it down. Nobody will think anything of it. If your situation changes halfway through, tell us that too.
Do I have to be a church member?
No. We are a Christian project and we do not hide it, but we help anybody in the Tri-Cities, Tennessee who needs it, and we will never make you sit through anything to earn it.