2007 Success Stories
Just a few vignettes of the hundreds of situations Rebuilding Together of DC accomplished in 2007, our 24th year of serving DC's lowest income homeowners.
In Ward 7, we found a 62-year-old widower living on less than $20,000 per year. He has lived in his home for 45 years. With insufficient income and lack of physical ability to make repairs, he was living with, amongst many other needed repairs, a leaking roof, no heat, no working appliances, and clogged toilets. Hurricane Hugo destroyed his garage and the rear of his home. Our more than generous team of volunteers
immediately replaced the roof at a cost of over $5,000. Next, they purchased appliances and repaired walls. While they were working on the house, the electrical power was shut off as over $3,000 was owed. Our volunteers raised the funds to pay this bill. Next painting everywhere was done and a new furnace and windows are on the way. This house was totally unsafe; now the gentleman can age in place, safely and in warmth.
In Ward 8 a 73-year-old widow suffers from painful arthritis in her legs and as a result of several strokes has much difficulty walking and especially climbing steps. She lives on $18,000 per year. Our volunteers, following the advice of our professional occupational therapist volunteers, installed a raised toilet seat and grab bars in the bathroom making toilet use easier. This homeowner had not been in her backyard for more than 3 years- now she can safely get out to
her garden as our volunteers installed new low rise steps and handrails. Broken concrete steps in front were fixed and a new back door installed, as the old one was broken and her security was at risk as the lock did not work. She was so taken with joy that she asked to express her thanks at our annual thank you dinner for key volunteers. She said, "When I saw all the volunteers in their bright Rebuilding Together T-shirts converge on my house, all I could think of was oh, my, what are all these people doing in my home… then I watched them work so hard all day… they worked non-stop… now all I can think to say (as she cried) is thank you so much, you gave me my home back."
In Ward 1, an 83 year-old blind man with debilitating arthritis, living on under $20,000 per year, had so much clutter in his house that he could hardly navigate through it. He has been in this home for over 40 years and wants to be no where but in this home. He wrote in his application, "My family comes by to check on me, but I am very embarrassed about the condition of this house. My friends say that, (I) dress nice but you should see the junk hole he lives in. If I get sick I am not comfortable having my friends come to check on me or even spend the night. I can't afford to pay to have all the work
that needs to be done to make the house presentable." Our volunteer team spent several weekends filling dumpsters with the clutter and making the home handicap accessible. Grab bars went up in the toilet and shower, which he had previously been unable to use. Non-working refrigerator, stove, and hot water heater were replaced. Plumbing leaks that destroyed ceilings and walls were fixed and new drywall went up. All rooms were painted and cleaned. Now he can, safely, have his friends visit and care for him. (Volunteers from Bolling Air Force provided, for free, all the skilled labor needed in this house- our thanks to these wonderful military young men and women.)
In Ward 6 we encountered on of our saddest situations ever. An elderly couple, the Mrs. with cancer and arthritis, the Mr. nearly blind, care for 5 minor grandchildren ages 6 to 15 with less than $17,000 per year. Several of the children suffer from asthma. There was no working stove or refrigerator or hot water heater. The oil furnace was cracking and leaking causing a smell throughout the house, surely triggering asthma problems. They were out of food- when we visited the 5 children were huddled around the kitchen table eating mayonnaise on white bread as that was all that was left as it was the end of the month. The roof leaked. Electrical sparks came out of the outlets.
Plumbing leaks caused ceiling and wall damage. The kids were without coats, warm winter shoes, and bed linens. Our Board President was our representative who visited this home; she has "previewed" homes for years, is an occupational therapist, and thought she had seen it all. She wrote on her home evaluation, "I have never had a home and family affect me more in my many years of previewing… We must positively impact the safety of this home. It will take a very special financial sponsor- repair costs will be staggering." The good news is that we were able to intervene immediately and get food and working appliances, all donated, to the family. Throughout the year we worked, spent much more than on a typical worksite, and all that was mentioned was repaired, all for free, to the family. We will not forget them and hope our resources will allow us to continue to deliver food and clothes.
In Ward 7, an 81-year-old widow with arthritis who walks with a walker living on $9,000 per year cares for her 52-year-old son with epilepsy and mental disabilities. We fixed a leaking roof and re-drywalled the entire house. The kitchen floor was replaced. Handrails went up making it easier to climb the steps to the second floor where the only bathroom is located. All rooms were painted and refreshed. The lawn and garden were spruced up. A handicap accessible raised toilet was installed and grab bars were put in the tub and toilet areas. The result- a clean, safe, and dry home with handicap access and no leaky roof!
In Ward 7, a 52-year-old who is almost completely wheelchair bound due to bone spurs in both knees and arthritis cares for her 82-year-old
mother with Alzheimer's. The mother has a tendency to wander off. They rely on friends to do shopping and to take them to appointments and to do housekeeping. The mother is obese and needed new stairway handrails and fixed steps. The basement flooded often and destroyed the washer and dryer. The bathroom needed grab bars. The roof leaked. There were no working fire detectors. After paying the mortgage and utilities they are left with only $200 per month for food and other necessities. All of the above repairs were made and we are trying to get a washer and dryer donated.
In Ward 7, a 69-year-old widow suffering from severe arthritis cares for her 43-year-old diabetic son who is struggling to survive cancer. They have lived in their modest home for 38 years. In their application to Rebuilding Together the son explained that he is unable to work because of the cancer treatments which make him sick but he says, "Although I am sick I can do little things to take care of my mother who at times is confused and doesn't know what she is doing. With your help I know we can make my life and hers better." We found a totally unusable kitchen- the kitchen floor was collapsing so it was unsafe to enter. The refrigerator leaked and the stove had to be disconnected as it was about to sink under the collapsed floor. They cooked their meals in crock pots and hot plates plugged
into the dining room. Rats and mice entered through the collapsed floor. Everything in the bathroom leaked. The grass and weeds were so overrun that the house was hardly visible from the street. Enter our volunteer team. The entire foundation was rebuilt, new cabinets, flooring, and appliances went in. There's no where for rodents to enter! This rebuild took many weekends of volunteerism and great financial cost.
An application came from a mother and daughter- the mother is an 84-year-old, wheelchair bound widow whose left side is paralyzed from a stroke; the daughter is 49 and blind. Mrs. C wrote, "My house was once very beautiful and a joy to live in but now because of the age of the house, weather, and lack of funds, this is no longer so. Rebuilding Together will bring joy and happiness back into our home by doing the repairs we desperately need." Our volunteer team came to the rescue. Up went a new
roof to stop continued weather damage. New drywall was installed throughout the house (including plugging the exterior holes where the raccoon family lived!). A working stove was purchased. Doors, windows, and flooring were repaired and replaced. Every room was painted. Clutter more than filling a huge dumpster was removed. Stair railings and grab bars were installed for safety. Then came time to fix the electrical system. It would cost thousands of dollars to make the needed upgrades. Thanks to the exceptional financial generosity of the sponsoring group we were able to hire licensed electricians. We can truly say what once was a blight, a totally unsafe and wet home, is now warm, safe, and dry enabling this handicapped mother and daughter to age in place.
William is only 40-years-old and is wheelchair bound having had his lower extremities amputated. He lives in Ward 7. As a double amputee, climbing the stairs to his only bathroom on the second floor was impossible. Our team truly changed this man's life. A new roof went up before the team moved in for action. Perhaps the thank you note from our long time House Captains Tom and Scott best describes the work of this team:
In Ward 7, we found a 62-year-old widower living on less than $20,000 per year. He has lived in his home for 45 years. With insufficient income and lack of physical ability to make repairs, he was living with, amongst many other needed repairs, a leaking roof, no heat, no working appliances, and clogged toilets. Hurricane Hugo destroyed his garage and the rear of his home. Our more than generous team of volunteers
immediately replaced the roof at a cost of over $5,000. Next, they purchased appliances and repaired walls. While they were working on the house, the electrical power was shut off as over $3,000 was owed. Our volunteers raised the funds to pay this bill. Next painting everywhere was done and a new furnace and windows are on the way. This house was totally unsafe; now the gentleman can age in place, safely and in warmth.In Ward 8 a 73-year-old widow suffers from painful arthritis in her legs and as a result of several strokes has much difficulty walking and especially climbing steps. She lives on $18,000 per year. Our volunteers, following the advice of our professional occupational therapist volunteers, installed a raised toilet seat and grab bars in the bathroom making toilet use easier. This homeowner had not been in her backyard for more than 3 years- now she can safely get out to
her garden as our volunteers installed new low rise steps and handrails. Broken concrete steps in front were fixed and a new back door installed, as the old one was broken and her security was at risk as the lock did not work. She was so taken with joy that she asked to express her thanks at our annual thank you dinner for key volunteers. She said, "When I saw all the volunteers in their bright Rebuilding Together T-shirts converge on my house, all I could think of was oh, my, what are all these people doing in my home… then I watched them work so hard all day… they worked non-stop… now all I can think to say (as she cried) is thank you so much, you gave me my home back."In Ward 1, an 83 year-old blind man with debilitating arthritis, living on under $20,000 per year, had so much clutter in his house that he could hardly navigate through it. He has been in this home for over 40 years and wants to be no where but in this home. He wrote in his application, "My family comes by to check on me, but I am very embarrassed about the condition of this house. My friends say that, (I) dress nice but you should see the junk hole he lives in. If I get sick I am not comfortable having my friends come to check on me or even spend the night. I can't afford to pay to have all the work
that needs to be done to make the house presentable." Our volunteer team spent several weekends filling dumpsters with the clutter and making the home handicap accessible. Grab bars went up in the toilet and shower, which he had previously been unable to use. Non-working refrigerator, stove, and hot water heater were replaced. Plumbing leaks that destroyed ceilings and walls were fixed and new drywall went up. All rooms were painted and cleaned. Now he can, safely, have his friends visit and care for him. (Volunteers from Bolling Air Force provided, for free, all the skilled labor needed in this house- our thanks to these wonderful military young men and women.)In Ward 6 we encountered on of our saddest situations ever. An elderly couple, the Mrs. with cancer and arthritis, the Mr. nearly blind, care for 5 minor grandchildren ages 6 to 15 with less than $17,000 per year. Several of the children suffer from asthma. There was no working stove or refrigerator or hot water heater. The oil furnace was cracking and leaking causing a smell throughout the house, surely triggering asthma problems. They were out of food- when we visited the 5 children were huddled around the kitchen table eating mayonnaise on white bread as that was all that was left as it was the end of the month. The roof leaked. Electrical sparks came out of the outlets.
Plumbing leaks caused ceiling and wall damage. The kids were without coats, warm winter shoes, and bed linens. Our Board President was our representative who visited this home; she has "previewed" homes for years, is an occupational therapist, and thought she had seen it all. She wrote on her home evaluation, "I have never had a home and family affect me more in my many years of previewing… We must positively impact the safety of this home. It will take a very special financial sponsor- repair costs will be staggering." The good news is that we were able to intervene immediately and get food and working appliances, all donated, to the family. Throughout the year we worked, spent much more than on a typical worksite, and all that was mentioned was repaired, all for free, to the family. We will not forget them and hope our resources will allow us to continue to deliver food and clothes.In Ward 7, an 81-year-old widow with arthritis who walks with a walker living on $9,000 per year cares for her 52-year-old son with epilepsy and mental disabilities. We fixed a leaking roof and re-drywalled the entire house. The kitchen floor was replaced. Handrails went up making it easier to climb the steps to the second floor where the only bathroom is located. All rooms were painted and refreshed. The lawn and garden were spruced up. A handicap accessible raised toilet was installed and grab bars were put in the tub and toilet areas. The result- a clean, safe, and dry home with handicap access and no leaky roof!
In Ward 7, a 52-year-old who is almost completely wheelchair bound due to bone spurs in both knees and arthritis cares for her 82-year-old
mother with Alzheimer's. The mother has a tendency to wander off. They rely on friends to do shopping and to take them to appointments and to do housekeeping. The mother is obese and needed new stairway handrails and fixed steps. The basement flooded often and destroyed the washer and dryer. The bathroom needed grab bars. The roof leaked. There were no working fire detectors. After paying the mortgage and utilities they are left with only $200 per month for food and other necessities. All of the above repairs were made and we are trying to get a washer and dryer donated.In Ward 7, a 69-year-old widow suffering from severe arthritis cares for her 43-year-old diabetic son who is struggling to survive cancer. They have lived in their modest home for 38 years. In their application to Rebuilding Together the son explained that he is unable to work because of the cancer treatments which make him sick but he says, "Although I am sick I can do little things to take care of my mother who at times is confused and doesn't know what she is doing. With your help I know we can make my life and hers better." We found a totally unusable kitchen- the kitchen floor was collapsing so it was unsafe to enter. The refrigerator leaked and the stove had to be disconnected as it was about to sink under the collapsed floor. They cooked their meals in crock pots and hot plates plugged
into the dining room. Rats and mice entered through the collapsed floor. Everything in the bathroom leaked. The grass and weeds were so overrun that the house was hardly visible from the street. Enter our volunteer team. The entire foundation was rebuilt, new cabinets, flooring, and appliances went in. There's no where for rodents to enter! This rebuild took many weekends of volunteerism and great financial cost. An application came from a mother and daughter- the mother is an 84-year-old, wheelchair bound widow whose left side is paralyzed from a stroke; the daughter is 49 and blind. Mrs. C wrote, "My house was once very beautiful and a joy to live in but now because of the age of the house, weather, and lack of funds, this is no longer so. Rebuilding Together will bring joy and happiness back into our home by doing the repairs we desperately need." Our volunteer team came to the rescue. Up went a new
roof to stop continued weather damage. New drywall was installed throughout the house (including plugging the exterior holes where the raccoon family lived!). A working stove was purchased. Doors, windows, and flooring were repaired and replaced. Every room was painted. Clutter more than filling a huge dumpster was removed. Stair railings and grab bars were installed for safety. Then came time to fix the electrical system. It would cost thousands of dollars to make the needed upgrades. Thanks to the exceptional financial generosity of the sponsoring group we were able to hire licensed electricians. We can truly say what once was a blight, a totally unsafe and wet home, is now warm, safe, and dry enabling this handicapped mother and daughter to age in place.William is only 40-years-old and is wheelchair bound having had his lower extremities amputated. He lives in Ward 7. As a double amputee, climbing the stairs to his only bathroom on the second floor was impossible. Our team truly changed this man's life. A new roof went up before the team moved in for action. Perhaps the thank you note from our long time House Captains Tom and Scott best describes the work of this team:
"Ladies and Gentlemen,
I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for your spectacular performance on our Rebuilding Together effort.
Bill and Brian, the porch roof looks a hundred times better and will be leak free into the future. Which is great because it will add years to the front deck that Rocky, Dillon, and Wade built. Wow, what an improvement. Transition in and out of the house is much more smooth (nice work on all the door hinges Mike) and William can now use his front porch. After we left he actually got to the hose and watered his new plants in the front yard! Which brings us to the Garden Crew. Allison, Helen, Latonya, and Munjeet. Look at the attached pictures. They totally speak for themselves -the place is gorgeous. Great work.
And Kitchen crew, Sue, Su, Jeanne, Sayeh, and Jon. Holy cow! It's like a whole new place. It was just dismal before but now it's bright and airy. As well, the angled mirror will now allow him to see what he's cooking. Fantastic.
Thanks to Dennis, Bill, and Herbert for putting that kitchen counter together. William now has a place that provides storage he can reach and a surface on which he can easily work. Mike, more great work on the back door and Herbert, nice work on the screen door.
Moving upstairs, we made a difference there. Jason, Matt, and Chris, super work on that bottom landing and elevator. That is a life changing event for William. No longer does he need to climb up the stairs on his hands and butt to get to the bathroom. And the bathroom! Another life changer. Dennis and Gail. Unbelievable. The new seat and fixture will allow him to shower like a normal person again without having to hold the broken drizzling nozzle over his head with one hand. The shower rod and curtain will provide both privacy and help to keep the water from leaking everywhere. And the cleaning - the place is a million times better. As well, once again thanks to Mike for fixing the door to the bathroom to allow smoother access.
And the closets - Jeff - Great work! He can now hang clothes and reach shelves. Truly a significant contribution.
Finally my wrecking crew and all around helpers; Amit, Adam, Kathir, John, Mohammad, Miguel, Sam, Nehemiah, and Aaron. What a difference, the back yard is now clean and bright. You can see the sun. What a huge impact!
A huge and special thanks to Ken for finding us a right handed elevator, supplying needed parts, and for coming out early Sunday morning to get the chairlift up and running. Thank you so much for going out of your way Ken. (Editor note: this team raised the funds to pay for the stair lift elevator!)
Lastly, thanks to my deputies for making this happen. Scott, Jason, and Matt. Well done and well organized. Next year you're the Captains.
Our teams' work changes lives! Especially for the handicapped.
These are just a very few of the miracles of 2007. Our files bulge with similar situations awaiting our help… all it will take is volunteer teams to come forward and monetary donations. We seek your help. We thank you for past and future support. With your help, we are ready for year 25!
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