Spring has sprung and we have been hard at work, realizing our vision of safe and healthy homes for all! So far this year, Rebuilding Together Seattle volunteers have completed 28 Team Build projects, have built 4 tiny homes for the Othello village, and have assisted 32 homeowners with smaller projects. These projects have changed lives, improved living conditions, and allowed homeowners to be proud of their homes again.
I would like to give my sincere thanks to ALL of our volunteers and donors: together we transform!
Best,
Nicole Ferrer
Executive Director, Rebuilding Together Seattle
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Homeowner Spotlight: Pearlene
Pearlene is a quick-witted, friendly woman who has lived in her South Seattle home for 30 years. Before retiring recently, she had a long career at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Pearlene felt unsafe in her home due to lack of accessibility and built-up clutter, so she reached out to RTS for support after hearing about our free home repair programs from a friend.
Fast forward to Spring Rebuilding Day on April 30
th: volunteers from
Wright Runstad & Co.
completely restored Pearlene's home. They removed clutter, transformed her yard, repaired the handrail on her steep steps, built a gate to ensure safety, and replaced a broken window that had been boarded up for years. Pearlene shared, "Teamwork is hard to come by these days! It was amazing to see all the volunteers hard at work, brought together to reach a goal. Thank you!"
Thank you, Wright Runstad, for making Pearlene's home safe and healthy again!
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23 Homes Restored in One Day!
On Saturday,
April 30, 2016
, Rebuilding Together Seattle celebrated our
26th Annual Spring Rebuilding Day
. Nearly 800 volunteers worked to restore the homes of
23
deserving families and nonprofit organizations spanning from Shoreline to Burien, improving the safety and health of many in need! Spring Rebuilding Day is part of National Rebuilding Month
, a movement to shed light on the need for safe, healthy, and affordable housing in our community and mobilize volunteers to make it a reality for all our neighbors.
Projects completed included painting, construction of decks and wheelchair ramps, installation of doors and windows, and other critical safety and accessibility improvements.
Rebuilding Together Seattle is grateful for the support of over 20 sponsors and the countless businesses and individuals who made Spring Rebuilding Day possible. Special thanks goes to top sponsors Wells Fargo, Booz Allen Hamilton, Greenpoint Technologies, Perkins Coie, and Center for Spiritual Living. Visit our Facebook page to see the official photo album for this exciting event!
 
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Volunteer Spotlight: Keiko and Jaime
RTS is excited to welcome two new volunteers to the Safe at Home volunteer team, Jaime and Keiko. Jaime has a background in construction and Keiko works for a downtown jeweler. In their short time with RTS, Keiko and Jaime have already had a big impact on their very own neighborhood: they recently helped a homeowner named Barbara, who lives down the road from them in Shoreline.
What is your favorite part of volunteering with RTS so far?
"It is nice that we can choose our own schedule to volunteer, and there is always a supportive RTS staff available when we have any questions. We just started being volunteering through the Safe at Home program, and we look forward to meeting wonderful people through future projects with RTS."
What motivates you to volunteer?
"As many people have gone through tough times, we had some difficult times in
the past. We always received help from community organizations, kind neighbors, and supportive friends to get through it. So we want to give back whenever we can, just like others have helped us."
Thank you, Keiko and Jaime! Interested in volunteering with Rebuilding Together Seattle? Contact Mike Lahoda at
[email protected]
.
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$86,000 Raised Toward Safe and Healthy Homes for All!
On Tuesday, May 4th, Rebuilding Together Seattle supporters gathered at the Grand Hyatt Seattle for our
3rd Annual Safe and Healthy Homes Breakfast
. Event sponsors, donors, and volunteers raised over $86,000 to help low income homeowners in need of critical home repairs!
One of the most memorable parts of the morning was hearing from Program Recipient, Lutricia. Lutricia shared: "
Thanks to Rebuilding Together, I'm finally proud of my home. I don't have to worry about it, and I can finally focus on getting better. Thank you for empowering me to start my life again."
Rebuilding Together Seattle thanks all our event sponsors, donors, and volunteers for making this year's Safe and Healthy Homes Breakfast a big success! Visit our Facebook page to view our official event photo album.
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We Are Saying "Yes! For Homes"
In the midst of a growing affordable housing crisis in Seattle, Rebuilding Together Seattle is saying "Yes! For Homes" and supporting the Seattle Housing Levy. The proposed $290 million levy would replace the expiring 2009 levy and fund more than
2,100 affordable apartments for seniors, low income workers, and the formerly homeless, while also providing
emergency rental assistance to prevent homelessness for 4,500 families.
Join us and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray in assuring affordable housing options are available for all! Learn more about how you can support the Seattle Housing Levy
here.
Bonus: the Housing Development Consortium's first annual Affordable Housing Week kicks off TODAY! Events and advocacy opportunities will take place throughout the week to highlight the need for affordable housing throughout King County. We will be there, and we hope you'll join us!
Learn how you can get involved here.
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Upcoming Events
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May 16th - 20th |
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Windermere Team Build Project
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June 3rd
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Avtech Tyee Team Build
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June 17th
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Appreciation Celebration!
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June 28th
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| 7th Annual Beer & Wine Tasting |
September 30th |
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SheBuild: Women Rebuilding Communities
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October (TBD)
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Thank You to Our Spring Sponsors!
Clark Construction
Swinerton Builders
Wright Runstad & Company
BNBuilders
Howard S. Wright
Intellectual Ventures
KPFF
McKinstry
PEMCO Insurance
Seattle City Light
Venture General Contracting
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About Rebuilding Together Seattle
Together we transform the lives of low income homeowners by improving the safety and health of their homes and revitalizing our communities. Our vision is a safe and healthy home for every person.
Rebuilding Together Seattle
500 Aurora Ave N #305
Seattle, Washington 98109
206-682-1231 | www.rtseattle.org | [email protected] |
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