Rebuilding Together Twin Cities Partners with Boston Scientific and HandsOn Twin Cities to Repair Community Center in Blaine

We were thrilled to partner with HandsOn Twin Cities and Boston Scientific on August 23rd to repair to the Centennial Square Manufactured Home Community Center in Blaine. More than 30 volunteers installed grab bars in the restroom, updated interior paint and lighting, replaced broken playground equipment, added new outlets for computers, and more.

The Centennial Square Manufactured Home Community is the second largest of its kind in Minnesota with 570 homes. The Community Center provides services for more than 225 youth from the community, including after-school activities, homework help, mentorship, Boys and Girls Club activities, English as a second language instruction, and other youth activities.  Forest Gregory, the Executive Director for Youth Way Ministries, originally requested these updates to the community center. Gregory runs an evening meal program, along with a variety of recovery and 12-step programs, for the adults and families in the Centennial Square Community at the Community Center. He also works with local grocery stores to collect food that doesn’t meet the store standards, as well as local schools to collect unused meals from the lunch program, and distributes this food at the Community Center for no cost.

Thank you to Boston Scientific and HandsOn Twin Cities for partnering with us to make these improvements to the community center!

Falls Prevention Awareness Day Is September 22nd

Did you know that one-third of Americans aged 65+ falls each year?  According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every 15 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 29 minutes, an older adult dies following a fall.  Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults.

These statistics are staggering, but there are ways we can help prevent older adults from falling in their homes.  For example, the CDC lists home modifications, like installing grab bars and handrails, as one of the top four recommendations for reducing the risk of falls.

September 22nd is Falls Prevention Awareness Day, and we are taking this opportunity to share information with the community about falls prevention and what we can do to help older adults live safely and independently in their homes.  Through our Safe at Home Program, we make minor home safety and accessibility modifications, such as installing grab bars and handrails, for low-income homeowners who are older adults (+55) or individuals living with a disability.  These modifications are provided at no cost for qualified homeowners and can prevent falls, enabling older adults and individuals living with a disability to continue to live safely in their homes for years to come.

If you or someone you know might benefit from our Safe at Home program or if you would like to volunteer for this program, please contact us at SafeAtHome@RebuildingTogether-TwinCities.org or 651-776-4273.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Renovate the Farnsworth Aerospace Magnet School

On September 12th, more than 100 volunteers from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx organizations partnered with us to make repairs and improvements at the Farnsworth Aerospace PreK-8 Magnet School located in St. Paul.

The volunteers installed two basketball hoops and resurfaced the school’s basketball court. They also renovated the library, painted interior and exterior surfaces, restored the playground, renovated the garden, landscaped and built a retaining wall.

We have a long-standing relationship with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx organizations, and we have partnered on five projects over the past five years.  Our collaborative projects with the Timberwolves and Lynx have focused on renovating and improving places where children learn and play.

Thank you to everyone from the Timberwolves and Lynx who came together to work at the Farnsworth Aerospace Magnet School!  Your hard work will make this space more functional, comfortable, attractive and fun for the students who attend the school!