Long-time Marlton resident Scott D’Antonio and his nonprofit have helped struggling area families with disabled members since 2015.
The 61-year-old contractor founded his own company nearly 30 years ago. In 2015, he initiated a nonprofit called Hometown Heroes for Special Needs, the inspiration for which came from D’Antonio’s personal experience with a disabled family member. He learned plenty about special needs individuals and the financial struggles their families face.
“Being around and talking to struggling families – single mothers, single fathers, children and adults – got me into doing this work, and I just felt that I needed to help people,” he recalled. “I know what (my family) goes through, I know what a struggle it is, because it’s a life-long thing.
“I figured, let me just use what I have, and that’s contracting,” D’Antonio added. “We’ve done fixer-ups, wheelchair-accessible ramps and bathrooms for two men who weren’t physically able to have a bathroom shower in years.
“I just thought, if I’m able to give back and help, I will.”
A lifelong musician, D’Antonio spends his spare time writing songs with special needs kids; they’re on their third. His nonprofit recently benefitted a local man and his daughter, both of them autistic. The father has been on disability since 2003, and the family’s limited income restricted basic home essentials.
Hometown Heroes was recommended to the family by another local organization. Father and daughter had not had an operable shower, toilet or bathroom sink in years. Their kitchen sink was not fully functional and there was wallboard missing from areas of the house. The electric didn’t function.
“It was heart-wrenching to see,” D’Antonio noted. “The house was really unlivable, so I reached out to (Camden-based) GPS Plumbing Inc., since they’re friends of mine and they donated everything.”
D’Antonio installed drywall and flooring, did some painting, pressure washed the home’s exterior to remove moss growth and took on some electrical work.
“(The man) sent me a text after he first used the shower,” the contractor recalled, and he said, ‘I took a bath and I just wanted to tell you it was a miracle what you did for us.’ When you get even a small message like that, it makes everything worthwhile.”
Hometown Heroes relies on funding and donations to support its work and pay for supplies.
“My time has always been free,” he explained. “But to do a lot of these construction repairs, you need the money there to buy supplies and so forth. When I get other contractors to chip in, they donate their time, I have my own guys, too, but we get enough of these to do and it’s impossible to do it without funding.”
D’Antonio typically gets donations through his networking, appearing on local news outlets to get the word out and relying on customer word of mouth. Hometown Heroes receives donations and help from local contractors and companies such as Marlton-based Spagz Electric and Crawford Painting, and seeks volunteers with all levels of experience.
“We could certainly use more people, more contractors to help,” D’Antonio acknowledged. “I think the more people that can help, should. If you can’t, if you don’t have the means or money or connections, I understand, but every amount helps even if it’s small.”
For more information on Hometown Heroes for Special Needs, or to volunteer or donate, visit its website at www.hh4sn.com
