New Partnership with AARP Foundation to Help Homeowners Age-in-Place

We are thrilled to announce that we will be partnering with Rebuilding Together National and AARP Foundation on a new pilot to help even more homeowners age-in-place.  Rebuilding Together Twin Cities is one of 12 Rebuilding Together affiliates selected to participate in this exciting pilot program, which is based off of our Safe at Home program.  The Safe at Home program focuses on providing low-income homeowners with free home safety and accessibility modifications.  Under this new pilot, we will be able to serve moderate-income homeowners who live above 50 percent of their area median income. These homeowners, who would usually not meet the financial criteria for our free home modification services, can now quality for home repairs based on a sliding payment scale.   The proceeds from this fee-for-service program will go towards providing more low-income families with free home repairs, allowing us to help a greater number of homeowners.

We will also be partnering with the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) on this pilot. Through its national partnership with Rebuilding Together, AOTA will provide insights into prioritizing repairs so that we can ensure that our repairs allow recipients to age-in-place in a safe and healthy home.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the majority of falls happen in or around the home. This makes providing fall prevention home improvements, like grab bars, all the more important. Falls are the most common cause of injury related deaths, nonfatal injuries, and trauma related hospital visits for older adults. These injuries cost the U.S. over $19 billion a year, a number that will rise as the baby boomer generation ages.

The other Rebuilding Together affiliates participating in the pilot are in: Sacramento, CA; Clay County, MO; Alexandria, VA; Central Ohio; Colorado Springs, CO; Milwaukee, WI; Chicago, IL; Oklahoma City, OK; Pittsburgh, PA; Silicon Valley, CA; and Omaha, NE.

Falls Prevention Awareness Day Is September 22nd!

We are partnering with other local nonprofits to raise awareness about how to prevent falls in the home as part of Falls Prevention Awareness Day on September 22nd.  We are collaborating with the Highland Park/West Seventh Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, West 7th Business Association, Metropolitan Area on Aging, Jewish Family Service of St. Paul, Access Solutions, and West 7th Community Center to host a Home Maintenance Fair on Saturday, September 22nd from 10 am until 2 pm at the West 7th Community Center (265 Oneida Street in St. Paul).

This event will provide resources to help older adults live more independently and safely in their homes, including an opportunity to meet with contractors on site and workshops on low-cost/no cost repairs and financial help for homeowners who are older than 55.  The event is free, and prize drawings will be offered, including a special drawing for the first 100 pre-registrants who call with their name and contact information.  To pre-register, please call: 651-690-8938 or email: NorcInfo@JFSSP.org.

As part of our efforts to raise awareness about falls prevention, we also made home safety and accessibility modifications for a St. Paul homeowner in need named Karen on September 13th.  Karen is a former nurse who had a stroke 12 years ago.  With the help of her friends and community members, Karen has been able to revitalize and repair a home that she purchased over the last year.

In order to ensure that Karen can live independently and safely in her home for years to come, we partnered with volunteers from Farmer’s Insurance to install grab bars, a shower seat and a handheld shower unit in her bathroom, as well as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, motion sensor lights and a doorbell. She also received fire evacuation advice with the help of volunteers from the St. Paul Fire Department.  Thanks to the St. Paul Fire Department and community volunteers who came out to help Karen!

Spring Break Spent Helping a North Minneapolis Homeowner

For the second year in a row, we were thrilled to host students from Central Michigan University who spent their spring break helping a North Minneapolis homeowner named Ora Lee.  Ora Lee’s home, which she has lived in for nearly 50 years, was damaged by the tornado that hit North Minneapolis last spring. Volunteers from Central Michigan University spent several days scraping paint and priming walls and trim, in preparation for volunteers to do additional work at Ora Lee’s home in the coming weeks.

The Central Michigan University volunteers also spent a day going door-to-door in the West 7th neighborhood of Saint Paul to hand out information about our Safe at Home program, which provides minor home safety and accessibility modifications for homeowners in need who are older adults or individuals living with a disability.

THANK YOU to the awesome volunteers from Central Michigan University!  We look forward to spending spring break with you again next year!

Focus On: Safe at Home

Have you ever wondered how to apply for home accessibility and safety modifications through our Safe at Home program?  Or what types of modifications we make through that program?  We have the answers to all of your questions here!

What is Safe at Home?  Our Safe at Home program provides minor home safety and accessibility modifications for low-income homeowners who are older adults (+55) or individuals living with a disability.  These modifications are provided at no cost to the homeowner.  Projects are completed by two to four volunteers in about four hours.

What types of modifications are provided through Safe at Home?  Typical tasks include installing grab bars, hand-held shower units, no-slip bath treads, raised toilet seat adapters, handrails, door and window locks, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and more.

Who qualifies for Safe at Home?  Qualified Safe at Home applicants must:

* Own and reside in their homes, have homeowners insurance and be up-to-date on mortgage payments;
* Plan to remain in their home for at least two years;
* Live in one of the following counties:  Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington;
* Have a household income that is at or below 50% of the median area income for the Twin Cities Metro Area, as determined by HUD.  Currently for a one person household this is $28,950 and for a two-person household this is $33,100;
* Have at least one household member who is an older adult (+55) or is living with a disability.

How do I apply?  You can either call our office to request an application at 651-776-4273 or download an application from our website.

What happens after I submit an application?  Once we receive your application and supporting documentation, we will review it to make sure you are eligible for our program.  If you are eligible, we will schedule a home preview to determine what safety and accessibility modifications we could make at your home.  Based on the home preview, we will determine if your home is a good fit for the Safe at Home program and if so, we will schedule a project day for the work to be completed.  Two to four volunteers will come that day to make the safety and accessibility modifications to your home.

Want more information?  If you would like more information or if you have questions about the Safe at Home program, please feel free to contact Tyler, AmeriCorps Safe at Home Coordinator, at t.white@rebuildingtogether-twincities.org or 651-776-4273.