Rebuilding Together Boston Announces National Rebuilding Days from April 24th to April 25th; Volunteers Provide Critical Repairs to Local Homeowners and Non-Profit Facility

BOSTON, April 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting on Friday, April 24^th, Rebuilding Together Boston (RTB) will celebrate its 24^th annual National Rebuilding Days (NRD), the nonprofit announced today. More than 250 volunteers and civic leaders will engage in the rehabilitation of seven sites including homes in Hyde Park, Dorchester and Roslindale as well as the Blackstone Community Center (South End).

This year, the projects will be completed over two days of service to celebrate "National Rebuilding Month" in conjunction with 166 Rebuilding Together affiliates across the country. Thanks to the generosity of Wells Fargo, Rebuilding Together Boston will start with renovations to the Blackstone Community Center in the South End on Friday, April 24^th.  RTB will lead renovation projects thanks to the sponsors listed below at 6* homes in Dorchester, Hyde Park and Roslindale on Saturday, April 25^th.  RTB is the local chapter of Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit with a vision of a safe and healthy home for every person.

Rebuilding Together Boston's projects include critical repairs to the residences of low-income Boston homeowners who can't maintain their homes due to financial, health and other related constraints. Work being performed over the three days of service includes repairs to decks; new stairs and handrails; installation of new windows and doors; new insulation; bathroom updates; interior wall patching, repairs and painting; exterior painting; installation of a handicap ramp; new counters and appliances; electrical and plumbing repairs; and landscaping. All renovations and repairs are centered on the goal of making homes safer and healthier for residences and improving non-profit facilities so they can better shelter, educate and support the community members they serve.

One of the seven sites selected for RTB's 24^th annual day of service is The Blackstone Community Center in the South End of Boston, the only area center serving the needs of the South End and Lower Roxbury communities. Volunteers from Wells Fargo will help paint, fix ceilings in the Computer/ESL room, upgrade the entryway, replace carpeting in the seminar room, and fix the staff lounge by replacing outdated appliances and installing counters.

"The Rebuilding Together Boston volunteers and sponsors make National Rebuilding Day possible," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "Thanks to their hard work homeowners and nonprofit facilities will receive critical repairs that will strengthen our neighborhoods for the long term."

This work is made possible by the generosity of sponsors and many of their employee volunteers: Amramp, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Booz Allen Hamilton, Bullhorn, DiMella Shaffer, Gilbane Building Company, Grand Circle Foundation, Pro Teck Valuation Services, Sea-Dar Construction, Skanska USA, Starbucks Coffee Company, Walsh Brothers, and Wells Fargo. In addition, Rebuilding Together Boston appreciates the many skilled tradespersons, including Citywide Contracting, Dr. Fix It and Preble Electric, who also make these renovations possible.

"Following this historic and devastating winter weather, we're especially pleased to have so many volunteers join together to help rebuild our communities with repairs to homes and facilities for those who cannot afford to maintain the sites due to financial and health-related concerns," says Janice Walker, co-chair of the Board of Directors of Rebuilding Together Boston. "We very much appreciate the support of our sponsors and volunteers, who make it possible to deliver critical services to our community."

NRD celebrates the culmination of Rebuilding Together's month-long nationwide call to provide safe and healthy homes for America's low-income homeowners and families across the country during the month of April. This year, across the country more than 50,000 volunteers will serve close to 4,000 affiliate-led rebuild projects during the month of April. Together, local chapters instill newly restored hope and memories in communities as numerous rehabilitations occur on a single day to create high-impact momentum for the rest of the year.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, there are 5.2 million homeowners who live in deteriorating, physically inadequate homes that threaten their wellbeing. Therefore, the demand for Rebuilding Together's services continues to grow as limited income homeowners, faced with diminishing resources, must choose food and medicine over critical home repairs, choices that, over time, lead to crumbling foundations, dangerously sagging roofs, and windows and doors that can't be secured for their own safety.

Site Locations and Descriptions are available upon request.

*One additional site has been postponed until a later date in spring due to weather and skilled construction delay.

About Rebuilding Together Boston:
Since its founding in 1991, RTB has completed close to 400 projects with an estimated total value at nearly $7 million and engaged over 20,000 skilled and unskilled volunteers. Recipients are unable to pay for critical repairs because of hardships such as advancing age, medical emergencies, low fixed incomes, or stretched organizational budgets. The organization relies on contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations as well as donated goods and services from local businesses. All work is performed at no charge. RTB's goals are to provide a safe and healthy home for all those served and to improve their quality of life, including their security, warmth and independence. For more information, visit http://rtboston.org/.

SOURCE Rebuilding Together Boston

Related Links

http://rtboston.org