‘Extreme Makeover’ at work in Champaign County

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August 18, 2009

STAFF REPORT The Commercial-News Tue Aug 18, 2009, 07:45 PM CDT

PHILO — “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” traveled Tuesday to Champaign County to meet Nathan Montgomery, who gave up a lucrative engineering career to start a charity that feeds hundreds of hungry families.

In just seven days, team leader Ty Pennington, his designers and hundreds of volunteers will rebuild the crumbling Philo home of Nathan, his wife Jenny and their four children — providing them with comfort and security they now cannot afford for themselves.

According to a press release, Montgomery was a promising young engineer on his way to a six-figure management position when he first began volunteering to help the needy. Realizing he wanted to pursue charity work full time, Montgomery stepped off the fast track to launch Salt and Light, the philanthropic organization he leads as executive director.

Montgomery has seen the number of local families in need rise dramatically during the economic crisis, and Salt and Light now feeds an average of 250 families each week, according to the release.

The altruism of Nathan and Jenny, a middle school aide who works with special-needs children, has taken a heavy toll on the family living conditions. Since both of them now earn modest salaries, they have been unable to afford much-needed repairs to the family’s dilapidated 100-year home.

The roof over their heads is falling apart, much of the siding is gone. The brick foundation is crumbling, among other problems. The Montgomerys feared they would have to move out of their two-story house for safety reasons and no longer would be able to continue their vital community service.

Nathan, Jenny and the kids — sons Ashton, 13, and Benjamin, 9, and daughters Addison, 5, and Lillian, 4 — will go on vacation to Walt Disney World while “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” transforms their home. Led by Pennington, the team includes designers Michael Moloney, John Littlefield, Didiayer Snyder, local builder Brady Homes and community volunteers.

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