Little Heroes helps No. Providence family revamp new home – Valley Breeze

8/8/2017

Erik Deneault, director of the Little Heroes Fund, and his wife, Dawn Deneault, put down new carpeting and flooring in an apartment in North Providence. The apartment is to be the home of Heather and Michael Novacek, their 11-year-old son Ian and 2-year-old daughter Grace Callanan. Ian has special needs and can no longer live in their current second-floor apartment because of difficulty with the stairs. The Little Heroes Fund was established to help families who have members with special needs. (Breeze photos by Charles Lawrence)

NORTH PROVIDENCE Organizers of the Little Heroes Fund are at it again, this time helping a local family in need create a home that works for them.

North Providence residents Erik and Dawn Deneault, with help from donors, installed new flooring throughout a first-floor apartment on Woonasquatucket Avenue. Heather and Michael Novacek had to leave a second-floor home because their 11-year-old son, Ian, who has special needs, could no longer live there due to his difficulty with stairs.

The family also has a 2-year-old daughter, Grace.

The Deneaults, partnering with Ruggieri Carpet, put down new carpeting and other flooring designed for wheelchair accessibility on July 18.

Oh my god, this is great, said Heather Novacek when she saw the completed work. It changes the whole look.

The Deneaults also helped install a new wheelchair ramp for the family.

Erik Deneault said he and his wife heard about the need through someone in the community following a June Funny 4 Friends comedy fundraiser to help get Ian Novacek accessible housing and equipment.

With our group, the Little Heroes Fund, a local church and a lot of support from the community with (the) Funny 4 Funds event, were all able to help make this new place a home (and) more handicapped-accessible for Ian, said Erik Deneault.

The Deneaults started Little Heroes to help families with special needs children who have major challenges due to unexpected costs of raising those children. The Deneaults daughter, Danica, has Aicardi syndrome.

Ian Novacek, 11, looks at a photograph of his new apartment being shown to him by his mother, Heather. With Heather is her 2-year-old daughter, Grace Callanan. Ian has special needs and can no longer live in the familys current second-floor apartment because of difficulty with the stairs.

Erik DenEault finishes the carpet installation while Heather Novacek, in center, and Dawn Deneault sit on a sofa donated to the Novacek family through the Little Heroes Fund. Erik Deneault, director of the Little Heroes Fund, and his wife, Dawn, put down new carpeting and flooring in an apartment in North Providence.

Heather Novacek stands on the new floor and looks at the freshly painted walls.

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Little Heroes helps No. Providence family revamp new home - Valley Breeze