MainLine Life
By: Lauren Nordsiek
06/29/2006

Imagine one day being stripped of your ability to move around your house with ease, climb stairs, or even take a shower. For many of those who are permanently disabled, this is their reality.

A local organization, Homescapes, is striving to change this reality for the disabled residents of Chester and Delaware County.

Homescapes began three years ago when founder Rob Kendall, born and raised in Delaware County and an alumni of Malvern Prep, saw his close friend be confined to a wheelchair after a debilitating car accident. With all of his money gone because of medical expenses, Kendall's friend had no way of making his home wheelchair accessible. After seeing his friend's struggle, Kendall decided to start Homescapes.

The organization's main goal is to help individuals who are disabled because of brain, spinal cord and other injuries. The nonprofit group improves the quality of life for many by providing free home modifications and construction when they cannot afford it themselves.

From portable shower units, to wheelchair ramps to building first floor bathrooms and bedrooms, Homescapes gives a small but vital amount of freedom back to those who spend their lives in wheelchairs.

One volunteer of the organization, Joe Behrle, intimately understands the plight of those who are disabled. In 2003, Behrle was paralyzed from the waist down due to a dirt bike accident. After spending one and a half months at Magee Rehebilitation center in Philadelphia, Behrle was ready to get back to work, refusing to let his disability stop him.

" As soon as I was out of Magee, I started my own construction company. I immediately began building houses and I taught myself how to drive a car," he said. Behrle was also introduced to Homescapes and began donating his time and skills to the organization. He is now the manager of builder relations.

" I was lucky," he said. "When I came home from the rehab center, I came home to a fully renovated and wheelchair accessible house. I wanted to give that to others who were not so lucky."

As an individual in a wheelchair as well as a third generation homebuilder, Behrle is able to offer an invaluable perspective when modifications are being added and homes are being built. "It's pretty easy for me to come in and understand exactly what needs to be done to a home," he said.

Behrle recently completed modifications on a home in Exton and more than 30 percent of Homescapes non-profit work is done around the Main Line.

Though his work is purely volunteer work, seeing the way his actions and Homescapes actions change lives makes everything worth it for Behrle. "Seeing someone being able to take a shower on their own within the first week of us being there is really great," he said.

Behrle plans to continue working for Homescapes as well as running his own corporation, JSB Construction Company. Behrle also hopes that other builders like he will begin to donate their time to organizations like Homescapes.

" It doesn't take much and it makes a world of a difference for those in need," he said.

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