Symmes Township seeks volunteers for Nov. 21 winter-prep event

Symmes Township is looking for volunteers to rake leaves and clean gutters for elderly and disabled neighbors before winter.

The township posted a civic alert Wednesday, Sept. 16, directing residents to sign up for People Working Cooperatively's Prepare Affair program. The annual event sends volunteer crews to the homes of low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners to handle outdoor maintenance they can't manage on their own.

This year's Prepare Affair is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers will stage from PWC's headquarters at 3440 E. Kemper Rd. in Sharonville before heading out to homes across Greater Cincinnati.

No special skills are required. WLWT, which interviewed PWC volunteer program manager Matt Leininger ahead of the 2025 Prepare Affair, reported the program is open to all ages and ability levels.

PWC, a Cincinnati-based nonprofit founded in 1975, provides free home repairs to low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners across a 20-county area spanning Greater Cincinnati, northern Kentucky and western Indiana. The organization says it draws more than 2,000 volunteers for Prepare Affair each year, and its LinkedIn profile lists a broader volunteer corps of about 3,500 people who help serve more than 14,000 clients annually.

One PWC client, identified as Richard B. on the organization's website, described what the help meant to him: "It's so nice to have someone come out and treat you with dignity and respect when you are struggling."

The Symmes Township alert did not specify whether local homeowners can also request services through the program. PWC's website lists a general intake process for homeowners seeking assistance.

Residents who want to volunteer can register at pwchomerepairs.org/prepare-affair. No signup deadline has been announced.