Dominic Gaidano is ready to make his dream come true, which means that one lucky Marin homeowner is about to have a dream come true, too.

“I have talked about doing a giveaway for 13 years,” said Gaidano, an award-winning painting contractor in Marin. “And, finally, here we are, the Great Marin County Exterior Paint Job Giveaway.”

Gaidano, a San Anselmo native and fourth-generation painter, owns Dominic Gaidano Painting and Decorating, Inc., an interior and exterior painting company for commercial and residential buildings. His company, which is licensed, bonded and insured, won the IJ’s Readers’ Choice for best painting contractor in 2024 and 2025.

His giveaway winner will be chosen based on a compelling personal essay submission of 200 words or less.

“I’m very open to hearing people’s stories,” he said. “Whether it’s a home in need of repair, a family facing challenges or a desire to refresh a beloved property, we want to hear your story.”

He also welcomes nominations of people who might need a free paint job for their Marin home.

Dominic Gaidano Painting & Decorating will supply the labor and equipment, and Marin Color Service will supply the paint.

The scope of the giveaway project depends upon what the winning house requires.

“It’s possible that the home does not need a full primer, and maybe spot priming is sufficient,” Gaidano said. “Regardless, we will recommend the right products and process. At minimum, the home will receive spot prime (or one coat if needed) and two finish coats.”

What if the winner wants to upgrade to a different brand of paint or additional coats?

“We will be providing the manufacturer-recommended number of coats for a long-lasting job,” he said. “Marin Color Service will be donating a high-quality product, so there’s no need to upgrade.”He estimates that the value of the giveaway will be between $10,000 and $20,000, depending upon the size of the house.

“If it goes over this amount, the owner will need to pay the difference,” he said.

The giveaway rules are:

• The home must be in Marin County. (West Marin is included.)

• The home can be one or two stories and can be on a hillside, as long as it’s accessible by a ladder.

• The homeowner can choose the paint color.

• The winner must be flexible with the available painting dates and schedule. The job can take between one and three weeks.

• Essay submissions must include the homeowner’s name, phone number and email address, along with the home’s street address.

• Submissions must arrive by email on or before June 14 or be sent by U.S. mail with a postmark date of June 14.

“We’re extremely excited to offer this opportunity and uplift a local homeowner and enhance the beauty of Marin County,” Gaidano said. “A fresh coat of paint can make a world of difference, and we can’t wait to make someone’s dream a reality.”

Dominic Gaidano Painting & Decorating, Inc. is at 50 Belvedere St., suite B, in San Rafael. Call 415-419-2564 or send an email to paintgiveaway@dompaints.com.

Garden grant

Here’s another great giveaway — this one for organic community gardens.

Gardens for Good, a grant project by Nature’s Path, is looking for gardens here, across the country and in Canada that need grant money.

Nature’s Path Organic, based in British Columbia, is a privately held, family-owned company producing breakfast, baking and snack foods sold in grocery and natural food stores in more than 50 countries around the world.

According to their website, they’ve been “organic from the start, pioneering the organic movement and remaining dedicated stewards of the land.” They work with farmers and have created zero-waste production facilities.

This year, the company celebrates the 15th anniversary of its grant project Gardens for Good: Plant it Forward. It will disperse grants of $6,500 to 20 gardens across the United States and Canada: ten to gardens in the U.S. and 10 to ones in Canada.

According to the company’s press release, the project is “rooted in the belief that collective action creates real change; Gardens for Good helps local urban gardens combat food insecurity and expand access to fresh, organic food in their communities.”

“Community gardens nourish neighborhoods with fresh, healthy food and help build a more just and equitable food system,” said Jyoti Stephens, vice president of mission and strategy at Nature’s Path. “We believe organic food should be a right, not a privilege.”

Last year, all of the grant recipients were gardens serving underrepresented and underserved communities.

Applicants must be registered nonprofits, and past recipients are welcome to apply if they received a grant before 2020.

Eligible organic community gardens can learn more about the Gardens for Good program at naturespath.com/gardens. Applications must be submitted by June 17.

Show off

If you have a beautiful or interesting Marin garden or a newly designed Marin home, I’d love to know about it.

Please send an email describing either one (or both), what you love most about it and a photograph or two. I will post the best ones in upcoming columns. Your name will be published, and you must be over 18 years old and a Marin resident.

PJ Bremier writes on home, garden, design and entertaining topics every Saturday. She may be contacted at P.O. Box 412, Kentfield 94914, or at pj@pjbremier.com.