TAMPA, Fla. — Senior homeowners in East Tampa are receiving a fresh coat of paint for the holidays.

Through a lottery system, four seniors were picked to have their homes painted with the colors of their choosing.

We Dream Community Development Corporation partnered with professional painters and volunteers to complete the task.

Executive director Angela Fullwood says ‘Painting for the Holidays’ is one of their many programs to help update older homes in East Tampa and assist seniors who are on fixed incomes.

“We can’t knock down a home and build a new one. However, we can add some fresh paint and do some landscaping to bring the house up to par with the housing in the area,” said Fullwood.

Christmas came early for Tampa native Shirley McCullough, who is one of four homeowners to win a free home paint job.

“This is my Christmas present,” said McCullough. “I am so grateful.”

It’s an update she hasn’t had since moving into this East Tampa home in 1965.

“We moved here one year after I was married. My husband is deceased and so is our only child. He was murdered in 1984,” she said.

She says she went through a lot of bad, but also good experiences while living in this community that continues to grow and change.

“So this house holds a lot of memories,” she said.

Volunteers from the Pi Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. went a step further and redid McCullough’s landscaping.

“It’s all about beautifying where we live, work and play,” said PI Iota Basileus Al Sheriff.

“For me, not be able to keep it up like I would want it to be — to have this done, words would not describe it,” said McCullough.

Lillian Griffin, 69, who also had her home painted, knows the feeling.

“When they appeared at my door I was shocked,” said Griffin.

She says it’s given her a boost in revamping her home for her grandchildren to enjoy.

“You have to have the money once something breaks and if you don’t have the money, you have to save for it, or let it go,” said Griffin.

A recent Harvard report highlights the housing challenges faced by seniors. The majority of U.S. housing is aging and needs upgrades and safety features for seniors to age in place comfortably. 

“Right now, my health is not the best. I have a lot of health issues. Certain things I can’t do anymore. I can’t keep my house like I want to,” said McCullough.

“I’m so grateful that we have these types of programs, because otherwise, people like me and other people — we wouldn’t be able to have this done because we can’t afford it. “

With the surface work now complete, McCullough and Griffin are ready to shift their focus to the interior and long-term upkeep of their homes. 

The We Dream Community Development Corporation has been painting these homes throughout the month.