Rooted Here: Giving Back in Brookfield, CT

Why Giving Back Matters to Us

At Solimine Contracting, giving back has always been part of who we are—because this is our community, too.

Our family has long believed that if you’re blessed, you should be a blessing to others. And even in seasons when things were hard, we’ve always been aware that someone else may be carrying something heavier. In Brookfield, Danbury, and the surrounding towns we serve, there is always someone who could use a helping hand.

Over the years, that belief has shown up in many ways—sometimes through small gestures meant to brighten someone’s day, sometimes by going the extra mile for a client, and sometimes through larger commitments to our local community.

For a long season of life, giving back meant showing up for youth sports right here in the Danbury area. When our boys were in high school, we ran the Danbury High School Baseball Diamond Club for six years, helping raise funds to offset costs like travel, field repairs, uniforms, and scholarships. During that time, we also donated our time and labor to rebuild the backstop fencing, construct a locker room, and build a press box for the baseball field.

Those years mattered deeply to us. But recently, we felt called to give back in a different way—one that brought our work and our values together.

Using What We Build to Help Where We Live

This past fall, we asked ourselves a simple question:What if we used what we do best—building and renovating homes—to help someone in our community who truly needs it?

So in October, we launched a community nomination contest across Brookfield, CT and the surrounding area. We asked friends, neighbors, and clients to nominate someone they felt was deserving of home repairs or renovations but didn’t have the means to make them happen on their own.

We were looking for someone who, even through incredibly difficult circumstances, continued to put themselves last.

The response was overwhelming.

Reading through the nominations was emotional, humbling, and honestly—very hard. Narrowing it down felt impossible. So we asked for help from our pastors, who graciously reviewed the finalists with us.

In November, we had the honor of surprising the winner at her home.

Meet Esther: A Brookfield Story Close to Home

We surprised Esther at her home in Brookfield, Connecticut, to let her know she had been selected to receive a $10,000 home renovation giveaway—a full basement renovation.

Esther’s basement had been completely gutted after severe damage from a microburst, followed by a burst pipe. Unfortunately, insurance was uncooperative, leaving the space unusable and unfinished.

But Esther’s story goes far beyond construction needs.

She is a former NICU nurse who was forced to stop working after being hit by a drunk driver. Despite everything she has endured, Esther continues to care for her family—helping support her daughter and granddaughter, who live with her—always putting others before herself.

Her daughter wrote to us, and we can say with complete certainty: we could not have found a more deserving person in our Brookfield community.

Rebuilding a Basement—and a Sense of Comfort

We’re restoring Esther’s basement into a fully livable space again, including:

• A bedroom for her grandchildren

• An updated laundry area

• A new half bathroom

• Additional functional living space to support daily life

  

  

  

With the generous help of our friends at Roger Electric, who are donating all of the electrical work for this Brookfield renovation, the project will far exceed the original $10,000 value—and we couldn’t be more grateful.

A Community Project Just Getting Started

We are currently in the early stages of the project, working through permits with the Town of Brookfield. This blog will serve as a place to share updates as the renovation unfolds—from planning and demolition to the final reveal.

You can also watch the video of our family surprising Esther on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

We’re honored to be part of this story—and grateful to bring comfort, dignity, and renewed space to someone who has given so much to others.