• By STEVEN WARD
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Apr 26, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:20 a.m.

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Helen Corbin’s little mint green, one-story house on Conley Avenue in north Baton Rouge has been her home since it was built in 1955.

The idea of moving is something Corbin doesn’t even like to contemplate.

“I don’t think I could ever leave,” Corbin, 85, said Friday afternoon while volunteers in yellow T-shirts scurried around her to complete their work.

The work is remodeling Corbin’s home.

The dozen or so people working on Corbin’s home were part of a group of 300 volunteers who went out Friday morning to remodel 10 houses in Baton Rouge from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The volunteering effort was part of Rebuilding Together, a nationwide effort committed to helping  elderly, disabled and low-income residents repair and improve their homes.

Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge has been active for five years, organization board member Julie Baxter said Friday.

Baxter said the Baton Rouge organization received nearly 300 applications for home remodeling this year.

Corbin, who lives alone and suffers from crippling arthritis, diabetes and heart problems, said she was surprised when she learned about the Rebuilding Together project.

Her 60-year-old daughter filled out an application for her.

“But God gives us what we need,” Corbin said.

Volunteers from Turner Industries, the sponsors of Corbin’s home improvements for the project, replaced her kitchen tile, replaced the carpet in her bathroom, put two new screen doors on her back porch, installed a new garage door, painted Corbin’s back porch, cleaned her gutters and installed handrails on the back porch and bath tub.

Corbin said the improvements will allow her to stay in her home, the place she wants to remain.