Spring 2021
Quarterly Newsletter
Our website has been re-designed and updated with new information, thanks to Board Member Angelic Griego. Check it out!
Message from Brad Wood, President
A lot can happen in a year. This time last year, who could have imagined everything we would all have to deal with? The COVID-19 pandemic changed so much: our clients needed safe and healthy homes more than ever. We needed to help them without spreading or contracting the virus. We could no longer use volunteers for most of our work. Overall, it was a very challenging time for everyone, but I am so proud of how our organization adapted, and I am very grateful that we were able to help many of our neighbors in Bernalillo, Placitas, Corrales, and Rio Rancho.

This next year will be a BIG one for us also. Rebuilding Together Sandoval County (RTSC) competed for and won new grants that increased our budget almost TENFOLD! That means that we can help many, many more neighbors by tackling larger and more difficult projects. Our current plan is to renovate as many as 30 homes, including new roofs, windows, bathrooms, and more. It also means that our organization will have to grow and evolve (quickly!) to meet this challenge.

This is a very important time for us at RTSC. We’re actively seeking new volunteers and contractors to help us realize the potential of the organization to improve our community. And new donors to support the work. If you’ve ever considered getting involved, please reach out. We have many opportunities for individuals with all skills and talents. Together, we can make a real difference for so many.

Thank you,

Bradley J. Wood, ECHM
President of the Board of Directors
Neighbors In Need
Our list of low-income families who need help with home repairs is long with over 70 families waiting for help. Many of these families have urgent needs and are trying to get by without the basic services we take for granted in a home, like running water. An example is Albert, a Bernalillo man who was recently disabled and can no longer work. Albert formerly worked in construction, but an injury and subsequent surgeries have left him permanently confined to a wheelchair and on oxygen. At the time of his injuries, Albert had begun a home remodeling project and his entire kitchen and living area were without running water and electricity when he became disabled. RTSC wants to restore these basic utilities and make his home safe for him, since he has no other resources.
Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives.
Collaboration with community partners helps a senior couple stay warm and safe in Bernalillo
With financial support from two of our community partners, PNM Resources Foundation and Sophia’s Giving Circle, RTSC was able to help a senior couple reduce their utility bills and increase the safety and comfort of their home. The couple have had to defer much needed home repairs since their social security income is consumed by everyday expenses. As a result, the 50-year-old doors and windows in the home were in disrepair to the extent that they were mostly inoperable and driving up utility bills. And when the elderly gentleman recently fell and fractured his hip, he could not safely navigate his walker through the rear entry door since it wouldn’t open properly.

Fortunately, RTSC was awarded a $5,000 grant from the PNM Resources Foundation as part of PNMR’s 2020 Reduce Your Use program with a focus on increasing energy efficiency in the community. With the financial support of PNMR, RTSC was able to replace all 12 inefficient, single- pane windows in the home with energy-efficient dual-pane windows meeting Energy Star requirements. Our long-time benefactor, Sophia’s Giving Circle, then donated the funds for a new rear sliding door that made access to the back of the house safe once more. The homeowners report that they are much more comfortable and feel safer in their home now, and they are looking forward to lower utility bills to help them better manage their fixed income budget.
USDA Housing Preservation Grant Will Help 21 Low-Income Families
RTSC has been awarded funding through a U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Housing Preservation Grant. The USDA Housing Preservation Program will increase housing stability and improve living conditions for low-income homeowners in Bernalillo, NM. As a grant recipient, Rebuilding Together Sandoval County will administer the program on behalf of the USDA Rural Development agency. Many families in rural areas, like Bernalillo, cannot afford to make critical home repairs and, as time passes, deferred home maintenance can be a cause for serious health and safety hazards or pose a risk to the structural integrity of the home. The USDA Housing Preservation Grant funds will be used to repair homes for an estimated 21 low-income families in Bernalillo. Low-income owner-occupant homeowners who reside in Bernalillo and are in need of critical home repairs or home modifications to accommodate disabilities are encouraged to apply by calling us at (505) 896-3041. This is an Equal Opportunity program.
RTSC Awarded Veterans at Home Grant
This spring and summer, RTSC will be providing critical home repairs for 5 local veteran families through the Veterans at Home program. Funded in part by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), RTSC will complete roof replacement, window replacement, bathroom safety modifications, and various other interior and exterior repairs. The Veterans at Home program provides no-cost, preventive home modifications and repairs to veterans and their families to improve safety and accessibility, increase independence, and facilitate aging-in place. 
In the words of our clients: “I thank God so much for you guys. It's such a blessing. You don't know how much this helps." 
Board Member Presented With Executive Certificate in Home Modification
Congratulations to Bradley Wood for attaining the “Executive Certificate in Home Modification”, which was presented by the University of Southern California, School of gerontology. Certification ensures that graduates have the skill set necessary to assist individuals with maximizing their home environment.The program is intended to support professionals who will respond to the increasing demand for home modification services.
In a safe home, children can learn, parents can focus on finding a new job, and seniors can age in place. Find out how you can help your community.
Volunteer Opportunities
This is a very important time for us at RTSC. To keep up with our growth, we’re actively seeking new volunteers to help us realize the potential of the organization to improve our community. As a volunteer, you will work with a team of experienced rebuilders, or on your own, if you prefer. You can even work from the comfort of your own home as you prefer.

Current volunteer needs:

Building Committee
  • Contractor Coordinator (i.e. dispatcher) to assist in scheduling and coordinating contractors. Primary skills will be to answer telephone calls, follow up on messages, and track progress from contractors.
  • Handy volunteers to do basic DIY jobs like: installing grab bars, painting, light drywall patching, etc.
Volunteer Committee
  • Volunteer Coordinator to engage and enable volunteers to do work on homes.
Publicity Committee
  • Create content for social and other media channels
  • Outreach to new clients and service organizations
  • Quarterly Newsletters
Fundraising Committee
  • Donor engagement and stewardship
  • Corporate and business outreach
IT Committee
  • Backup "System Manager" for Google Workspace and other organizational IT assets

Email help@rebuildingtogethersandoval.com or call 505-896-3041 to learn more. 
Thanks To Those Who Paved The Way
Rebuilding Together started with the simple act of neighbors helping neighbors. In 1973, a small group of people in Midland, Texas, realized that homes in their community had fallen into disrepair and their neighbors could not afford to fix them on their own. The group volunteered their time and skills to rehabilitate the homes of their neighbors. Realizing the potential impact of this work, the group formed Christmas in April, with the intent of performing repair and rehabilitation work in their community every April. News of the group’s good work spread slowly, but eventually achieved national recognition. The mission spread beyond the idea of providing service once a year in April to bringing together partners from all walks of life to help our neighbors year-round. Christmas in April became Rebuilding Together and opened a national office in 1988. Our Sandoval County affiliate opened its doors in Rio Rancho in 1999 and has completed approximately 250 home repair projects in the county since then. Nationally, Rebuilding Together has grown into a premier nonprofit community revitalization organization.

In the last newsletter, we announced the retirement of Jerry and Janice Saxton from the Board. Jerry and Janice (pictured above) were a driving force behind RTSC for a decade and we are indebted to them for their unwavering support, countless volunteer hours, and expert guidance that helped build the organization we have become today.
Let's Get Social:
To all of you reading this newsletter, THANK YOU! We couldn't serve the community without our volunteers and supporters. You make a difference to all the people whose lives are made better by our work.