Letter from the Executive Director:
[Re]silience Starts with Gratitude
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We all would be forgiven for being a little despondent this year, where one crisis and catastrophe after another seems to be pushing the limits of our resiliency. A housing colleague said to me early on in the pandemic, “I have been trying to reflect on how I want to show up during this time, while also acknowledging that I need to be gentle with myself and others.” It seemed like sage advice for the moment, and even as we’ve learned to make some adjustments for the pandemic, add in the layers of literal and metaphorical fires, and there is still much that feels out of our control. We would be wise to remember that advice of being gentle.
One thing that often helps me to be gentle with myself and others is to take stock of all the small wins, of all the little kindnesses, the looked-over beauties, and the incredible individuals around the world – whether we know them personally or not – that make life precious. It is from these things that green shoots of hope grow from the ashes of fire.
And so, I’d like to take a moment to share some gratitude for a few people, starting with those that have joined and left our Rebuilding Together team this year. You can read more about our staffing changes below, but many of you may have known or worked with Scott Sharba, who served as our Program Manager the past two years and an AmeriCorps Program Coordinator prior to that. Scott brought to RTS the deepest of commitments in honoring and elevating the dignity of every person we work with, particularly our neighbors in need. No matter the amount of time it took, Scott would fully listen, not just out of a sense of duty to serve, but for a genuine interest in the person and in understanding what they had to say. Between weekend projects, late evenings, or just stopping by at someone’s house on his own time, Scott was selfless in giving of himself. I can think of few more valuable gifts than that: time. Scott, I am so grateful for the time we had with you on our team and look forward to seeing you become an amazing planner, focused on building just and equitable communities.
With all the important topics to speak to, I also did not get the chance to welcome here our now not-so-new Development Manager, Kim Huebner. Kim stepped in just as we went into lockdown, and with less than a month of planning, was able to put together a wonderful breakfast fundraiser replacement campaign, our “Stay at Home” Breakfast. It raised more than a third of what we normally net for our in-person event, allowing us to resume our Safe at Home program just a month after going into lockdown. She has charted new ground in moving us to a virtual “Night to [Re]Build” event to replace our Beer & Wine Tasting this year. If you haven’t guessed from the very tangible examples of her work thus far, it has been a real joy to have Kim’s productivity and process-driven approach keep our fundraising efforts moving forward.
I also want to welcome Monika Sharma, who drove cross-country during a pandemic, not knowing what her service year will look like, and ready to contribute in any and every way she can as our newest AmeriCorps Program Coordinator. Monika has brought an enthusiasm and “can-do spirit” that has allowed our programs team to take on more and get out in the field more than at any point this last half year. She joins Karly and Wynne, who started in January and have continued to impress throughout an AmeriCorps term rife with hardships.
Last, to all our volunteers, supporters, friends: I often find myself feeling, indeed fretting about how I’ve made too little time to keep in touch with you, to express my gratitude for you, and to tell you about all the good that we see in spite of the tough and disheartening things that can seem to overshadow all that is wonderful about our humanity and our community. I think about so many of you and your families every day. I hope you are staying well, and may you find the courage and joy to keep resilient.
In Gratitude,
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Caleb Marshall, Executive Director |
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Following Washington State and King County reopening guidelines, Rebuilding Together Seattle has resumed limited program activities at this time. We have implemented measures to continue to provide home repairs and modifications to those in our communities, while prioritizing the safety of our homeowners, volunteers and staff. Staff and AmeriCorps members continue to support our mission remotely, and we have begun work on smaller scope, low-risk projects under comprehensive safety policies and procedures.
Volunteer groups and individuals are encouraged to contact us if interested in getting involved in upcoming projects. If you have any questions about volunteering at this time or would like more information about the safety procedures that we have implemented, please leave us a message at (206) 682-1231 or email us at info@rtseattle.org.
We are constantly monitoring the situation and adapting our activities accordingly, so please visit our website or social media pages for future updates.
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Night To [Re]Build October 23, 2020 |
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Rebuilding Together Seattle invites you to join us for Night To [Re]Build, a virtual event in celebration and support of our mission: Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives.
Featuring silent & live auctions, games & prizes, music, impact stories, and more . . . you won't want to miss it!
Closed captioning for the event will be provided and other accommodations can be made upon request.
Night To [Re]Build
Friday, October 23, 2020
6:30p (Pacific Time)
Join us online from anywhere!
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In May, our new Development Manager Kim Huebner came on board, and in August we bid a fond farewell to Program Manager Scott Sharba shortly before we welcomed new AmeriCorps member Monkia Sharma to the team. We are excited to have Kim and Monika join us and wish Scott all the best as he pursues his Masters in Urban Planning and starts the next chapter of his life! Meet our two new staff members and read a personal message from Scott below. |
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Kim joined RTS in May 2020. She holds a Masters of Nonprofit Management degree from the University of Central Florida and a BA in Anthropology from the University of Florida. She has over 8 years of experience in nonprofits, in both volunteer management as well as development, and is passionate about strengthening the nonprofit sector and creating positive impact for communities and individuals. She is looking forward to putting the “fun” in fundraising for RTS and helping foster meaningful connections between RTS supporters and the critical work they do for neighbors in need.
In her free time she enjoys reading, volunteering, exploring the outdoors, and getting together with friends to share a pint of local craft beer.
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Monika joined RTS in August 2020. She is passionate about safe, healthy, and affordable housing. She completed her undergraduate and Mount Holyoke College studying housing and community development. She continued on to complete a Master’s in Regional Planning with a focus on climate and equity planning. Monika has worked for Habitat for Humanity, Holyoke Urban Bike School, and other community organizations in Massachusetts for the past five years and is looking forward to getting involved in housing and community support here in Seattle. Monika has a background in carpentry and hands on education, and is excited to work directly with homeowners helping with repairs as well as with programs coordination on the organizational side. |
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"I'd first like to thank each and every volunteer, donor, and partner for your deep compassion and commitment to supporting RTS and our neighbors in need. Also, to my coworkers over the past three years who never ceased to inspire and amaze me. On a more personal note, thank you to our many program participants for the honor and privilege of being invited into your home and entrusted to deliver on our vision of safe homes and communities for everyone. Once a [Re]Builder, always a [Re]Builder."
Best,
Scott
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RTS would like to send a shout out to Rhine Demolition and Abatement for generously donating their services to assist one of our homeowners. The ceiling in an upstairs bedroom of Sharon's home had collapsed, resulting in the room and everything in it being showered in asbestos. We thank Don Rhine for coming out personally and looking at the project before assigning such a great team to start the work. The team worked ALL DAY removing asbestos and asbestos contaminated clothes, carpet, and other unsalvageable materials from the room so that it would be safe for Sharon and her mother.
After the Rhine Demolition and Abatement team was done, RTS AmeriCorps members Karly and Monika worked to cover the exposed areas of the ceiling in preparation for RTS to continue repairs to the room at a later date. We are thankful for Sharon's patience throughout this process and for community members like Don Rhine and his team who step in to assist RTS and our neighbors when it is most needed.
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In our last newsletter we shared information about systemic racism and how it has manifested in unjust housing practices and policies, including restrictive covenants and redlining. While these practices and policies are no longer legal, the ripple effects are still being felt in today's society.
Restrictive covenants written into title deeds for homes, neighborhood association bylaws, and other official documents, specifically excluded non-whites from home and property ownership in many areas of the country, including Seattle. This article from the Seattle Times shares the history of these covenants and information about a recent (2019) Washington state law that allows homeowners to strike the discriminatory language from their deeds.
Redlining, or drawing boundaries to keep particular racial groups out of certain areas, was historically accomplished through the use of these covenants as well as through discriminatory lending practices and city laws. While we often tend to think of redlining as something of the past, this blog post from a Seattle-area realtor highlights a form of modern-day redlining that occurs through the search for "good" neighborhoods and schools. (Please note, RTS has chosen to share this blog post due to its clarity and topical relevance. It is not an endorsement of that particular business.)
We thank you for continuing to learn and grow with us as we all work together toward our vision of safe homes and communities for everyone.
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Thank You Night To [Re]Build
Funding Partners!
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