Thanks To….

Our amazing Safe at Home volunteers who made home safety and accessibility modifications for four homeowners in need this month!  We’d like to give a special shout out to David L’allier, Ethan Gorton and Kelly Bandman who were the first volunteers to participate in our Saturday Safe at Home projects!

Our dedicated volunteers from the Honeywell Retired Volunteers Program, who regularly build and install ramps for homeowners in need. The homeowner they helped last month said in his thank you, “You have no idea how that ramp has made it so much easier for LaVonne and I in just these few days. I will keep in touch. THANKS AGAIN.”

Alex from the Timberwolves who held the pole for the basketball hoop in place for an hour until the concrete arrived on their project day!

Welcome New AmeriCorps Members!

We are thrilled to welcome two new AmeriCorps Members: Alina Stevenson and Jessie Livingston!

Alina holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota.  She recently completed a year of service through the AmeriCorps Vista program with Habitat for Humanity in Virginia, Minnesota.  Through that position, Alina gained experience working with homeowners, volunteers and donors.  Alina also works part-time as a gymnastics coach.

Jessie recently completed her studies at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois.  She brings a variety of experience to this position, including working as a preschool teacher, life guard and swim instructor and serving as a volunteer with both Habitat for Humanity and a dog shelter.

This is the sixth year that Rebuilding Together has been awarded an AmeriCorps grant through the Corporation for National and Community Service.  The goal of the AmeriCorps CapacityCorps program is to build the capacity of grassroots Rebuilding Together programs so they can be more sustainable, effective, and efficient in helping homeowners in need.  Welcome to the team Alina and Jessie!

Meet our New Program Manager!

We are excited to announce that Brent Suski has joined the staff at Rebuilding Together Twin Cities as our Program Manager!  As you may know, Brent recently completed a year of service with us through the AmeriCorps program as a Project Coordinator.  In that position, he demonstrated a passion for serving homeowners in need, as well as strong project management, volunteer coordination and design skills.  He is a great permanent addition to our team!  Welcome Brent!

Sears and Craftsman Make a Difference for Military Family

We were thrilled to partner with Craftsman, Sears Heroes at Home program and Greiner Construction last month to help a military family in need.  Joy is a single mother of two boys; and her oldest son is currently completing his training for military service. In the past, it has been a struggle for Joy to hold on to her house, but upon first glance you would not know it. She is extremely resourceful and has taken on many of her household repairs herself, including dry walling her entire garage. Joy is very supportive of her son’s choice to join the military and hopes to keep the house as a place for him to return.

On July 26th, we partnered with volunteers from Greiner Construction to repair Joy’s home.  Volunteers replaced flooring, painted, installed drywall and made other repairs.  This project was part of the Craftsman Make a Difference Tour, which traveled across the country this summer restoring the homes of veterans in need.  The Make a Difference Truck provided tools for this project and the Sears Heroes at Home program provided financial support.  Thank you to everyone who came together to help Joy and her family!