Greg Wayne - building hope

Look around the metro area for homes that have newly constructed wheelchair ramps, and chances are Greg Wayne will have had a hand in building them.



Greg Wayne (wearing cap) and Kevin Bogner



Greg is one of the founders of HopeBUILDERS, an organization whose mission is to help people in the Kansas City metro area live in comfort, safety and dignity. Formerly called FaithBUILDERS, the group got its start when Greg’s wife, Kathie, and the vestry of St. Francis Episcopal Church where they attended at the time thought it would be great to combine volunteer forces to do some type of home repairs, Greg said. That was in 2000, and he was called to help organize the effort. Besides St. Francis, five other churches participated – Advent Lutheran, Stilwell First Baptist, Stilwell Methodist, St. Michael’s Episcopal and St. Thomas Episcopal. Holy Cross Lutheran got involved several years later.

Greg said word was spread about the organization mainly through churches - by hosting tables at ministry fairs, speaking at worship services and including info in weekly worship bulletins. That first year, Greg said, they helped one client by participating in a major repair project organized through Christmas in October. Currently, they help nearly 40 clients each year, though they receive  about 130 requests. But since most of the 180 volunteer workers hold daytime jobs, they are only available to help a couple of weekends a month, with about one-third active at any given time.

Clients call HopeBUILDERS for a variety of reasons. “We get calls from women who become widows, and are wanting to stay in their houses,” Greg said. “There was one woman whose husband died of a heart attack, she was living by herself, and was in a wheelchair. She hadn’t had a bath or shower because she couldn’t access her bathroom.” Greg described another client as a single mom with two children. She had closed her kitchen off because of the damage done by the upstairs bathroom ongoing plumbing problems. 

HopeBUILDERS primarily helps clients who are elderly, have limited financial resources, or have a physically disabled family member. A majority of the organization’s efforts include building wheelchair ramps, Greg said, mainly because the jobs can be done relatively quickly and don’t require extensive construction skills. Other requests are for doors that need to be widened, rooms needing to be made accessible for those who suddenly find themselves with limited or no mobility, and other interior repairs.



From left: Steve Hileman, three clients, Greg Wayne, Kevin Dolan



Most clients are deeply appreciative of HopeBUILDERS volunteers, Greg said. Then there are the ones who approach the organization with a sense of entitlement, making demands, being rude, though thankfully they are few in number. But either way, it’s the sheer amount of need that is out there. “You almost get to the point where you’re torn by what to do,” Greg said. “It can be overwhelming.”

It was Greg’s involvement with HopeBUILDERS that brought him to Holy Cross. He said he had worked alongside and become friends with a number of volunteers from Holy Cross, so when it was time to find a different congregation, he was drawn here. Greg’s daytime job is project manager with Black & Veatch, and requires a great deal of international travel, especially to China. When not traveling or volunteering weekends with HopeBUILDERS, he tries to keep up with projects at his own home, which he describes as “a work in progress.” He said he has always enjoyed construction, and through the years has developed a level of expertise that allows him to share that knowledge with others.

For Greg, it all comes down to a calling. “I am using the gifts God has given me,” he said. “There are a lot of people in need, and I can help them stay in their houses a bit longer.”

HopeBUILDERS is always looking for more volunteer helpers of all skill levels, including those who simply want to hand nails to the person with the hammer or provide lunch for the workers. In addition, anyone wishing to provide materials or financial assistance is always welcome. For more information about HopeBUILDERS, visit the website at http://hopebuilders-kc.org.