Paint-A-Thon is like an old fashion "Barn Raising", it is people helping people in the best spirit of giving to others. The phrase "many hands make light work" applies to this project. Historically, Paint-A- Thon has been going on in this country since neighbors worked together for a common cause. Officially, the first organized Paint-A-Thon we can find started in Denver, Colorado in 1979 through the help of Brother's Development Corporation. That program continues to this day. The second longest program was started in the Twin Cities as a Chore Program run through the Minneapolis Council of Churches. That program grew to 450 homes each year in 1990.

BRUSH UP NEBRASKA Paint-A-Thon was started in 1989 by Norwest Banks, U S West, ConAgra, and Diamond Vogel Paints. A total of 50 homes were painted in September of 1989, mostly through teams from the sponsoring corporations. In 1990 Union Pacific Railroad, ENRON and Mutual of Omaha joined as partners and added many new teams. Total number of homes painted in 1990 was 120. In 1991 First Data Resources, Barnhart Press, Lozier Corp, Guarantee Mutual, Jefferson Pilot and Rigel Corporation (KFC and Krispy Kreme Donuts), joined as partners and the total number of homes swelled to 137. Convergys was added as a sponsor in the year 2000.

From 1992 the number of teams has stabilized to between 100 - 115 each year. However, in that year several programs were formed in different cities as Affiliates of BRUSH UP NEBRASKA Paint-A-Thon, Inc. non-profit corporation. Programs began in Lincoln,  Grand Island,  Marshalltown, Iowa, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Each program has its own Corporate Sponsors, budget, and general program structure. However, each program also runs under guidelines set by BRUSH UP NEBRASKA. Marshalltown, Grand Island, Sioux Falls and Soiux City now run their own program and are no longer affiliates. Annual numbers of houses painted in each community are: Lincoln (40-45); Omaha (100-115).

Executive Directors of the programs are Tom & Sheila Pettigrew who started the program in 1989, and continue as executive directors to this day. BRUSH UP NEBRASKA Paint-A-Thon has helped launch 13 programs in Iowa, one in Montana, one in Wyoming, and several small programs in communities throughout Nebraska. These programs have no affiliation with the corporation and were simply mentored by Tom and Sheila.