Rebuilding Together, a leading national nonprofit organization with a mission to repair the homes of people in need and revitalize our communities, will host its annual National Rebuilding Month this April. Nearly 33,000 volunteers will serve in more than 1,350
affiliate-led rebuild projects throughout the country during National Rebuilding Month.
In our community, Rebuilding Together Fox Valley will host its 18th annual event, bring 500 volunteers together to repair 12 homes in the Fox Valley community during National Rebuilding Month, improving the homes and lives of the growing population of low-income homeowners in need of critical home repairs. Corporations and individuals throughout our community sponsor homes and organize teams of unskilled volunteers and skilled tradespeople to work together on these homes.
2018 home sponsors include: J.J Keller Foundation, Bongers Family and Friends, U.S. Venture, Capital Credit Union, Guardian Life Insurance, Nestle Pizza Division, Fox Communities Credit Union, Essity, Bemis Company, Associated Bank, SCHEELS, Boldt and SECURA.
Throughout April, Rebuilding Together affiliates and volunteers will serve people in need, including veterans, people with disabilities, older adults, families with children and victims of disaster by providing them with a variety of critical home repairs. Repairs will include flooring replacement, weatherization improvements, roof and handrail replacements, accessibility modifications, painting, landscaping, and other major home rehabilitation work. The repairs are provided free of charge to the recipients who often live with limited resources and must choose food and needed medicine over critical home repairs. These choices over time can lead to crumbling foundations, dangerously sagging roofs, and windows and doors that can’t be securely shut.
“Too many of our neighbors throughout the country suffer from the health and economic consequences of living in substandard housing and unsafe communities,” said Caroline Blakely, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together. “National Rebuilding Month serves as a call to action to encourage everyone to support their neighbors, strengthen their community and ensure everyone is living in safe and healthy homes.”
National Rebuilding Month will culminate on National Rebuilding Day, Saturday, April 28th. Rebuilding Together volunteers will work in a concerted effort to complete repairs on homes, nonprofit facilities and community spaces to bring immediate change to communities across the country.
Rebuilding Together Fox Valley, a nonprofit organization who has been in the Fox Valley since 2001, began their work by repairing 8 homes on its first annual Project Day. Since then, the organization has grown to include services year-round. Services are provided at no cost to qualified homeowners in need.
National Rebuilding Month originated in 1973 in Midland, TX with volunteers helping neighbors rebuild their homes. The group founded Rebuilding Together, at the time “Christmas in April,” and gathered around a month of service each year in April. The mission then grew beyond the idea of providing service one month per year to bringing volunteers together to provide neighbors in need with critical repairs year-round.
For more information on National Rebuilding Month, visit rebuildingtogether.org/nrm and follow #RebuildingMonth on social media.