Good News - February 2021

COVER STORY 19 FEBRUARY 2021 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition for more city funding to expand Rebuilding Together’s ability to work in the area. “It’s a win, win, win! Our neighborhoods are improved. They are looking better. The CRA is leveraging it’s public dollars to the benefit of the community, and we’re helping the group perform the services they were designed for.” Through partnerships with Church United, which mobilizes volunteers from multiple churches, corporate relationships with companies like Home Depot and Ultimate Software, and arrangements with smaller companies and realtor asso- ciations, Rebuilding Together often coordinates large scale volunteer days, work- ing on six to eight homes in a day. “We take the ‘let’s go paint someone’s home’ and turn it into a community event,” Martin said. For example, more than 150 volunteers from Team Depot and others came out for a Martin Luther King Day of Service in January 2020, revitalizing six homes in Unincorporated Broward’s BMSD community. Nadene Rose, Store Manager of the North Lauderdale Home Depot and the District’s Community Captain representing eight stores, explained that giving back to the community is one of Home Depot’s core values. “One of our slogans is ‘You can do it - We can help,’ so our aim is to make sure the community knows we can help, and as a result, our associates are volunteering their services. While COVID-19 made last year challenging for large groups of volunteers to get out in the field, if I go back to 2019, I would say we did 50 projects in a year, and I like to use Rebuilding Together as our nonprofit because of the relationship with have built over the years. They love the community, elderly too, and we love the community and together we have built this force.” Rose said the majority of their projects are veteran related. “We identify vet- erans who have served so willingly and bravely for this country and after coming out, their homes are in such deplorable condition and financially they are not able to renovate or move around in the homes. Some of them are older…When we transform that home and see the joy on the face of the person we’ve helped out – the feeling you get is second to none!” Stephanie Gunderson, director of outreach at Calvary Chapel Fort Laud- erdale has participated in several volunteer days with Rebuilding Together, and she agrees. “I remember one older gentlemen we served who had lost his son. He came out of his home, was just so happy and wanted to connect with the peo- ple who were serving his home. We saw that with many of the residents, and the volunteers absolutely love it. Everyone is given matching shirts. We feel very united as a team even though its many different churches coming together, and it shows you that when you are providing a little bit for somebody how far it goes.” Part of a national organization with affiliates throughout the country, Rebuild- ing Together was started by a church in Midland, Texas. Some men from their Bible Study partnered with the YMCA to help seniors with handyman projects on a single day in April. This annual event was affectionately called Christmas in April and grew as other churches followed their model. Finally, about 30 years ago Rebuilding Together was formalized and designated April as Rebuilding To- gether Month. Get involved As Rebuilding Together prepares for upcoming volunteer days, here’s how you, your church, organization or company can get involved: • Sign up to be informed of upcoming service days at rebuildingtogetherbroward.org • Become a social media friend on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @RTBrowardCounty • Get your group, school, scout troop, Rotary Club, business associates thinking about service. • Skilled tradesmen, such as plumbers, electricians and construction workers can volunteer any time. • In-kind and cash donations are always welcome at rebuildingtogetherborward.org • Gift cards for household goods are also in need. The Nuts & Bolts Each year Rebuilding Together Broward works with more than 1,000 volunteers, skilled trades persons and companies to improve the living conditions for more than 70 families. In 2019 alone, they accomplished the following: • Made safety repairs to more than 150 homes • Mobilized over 1,950 volunteers • Facilitated 15,260 volunteer hours • Improved 6 veteran homes • Revitalized 7 neighborhood blocks, including 39 homes • Assisted 8 nonprofits with facility improvements RebuildingTogetherBroward.org Pompano Beach Mayor Rex Hardin helps paint a home during a Rebuilding Together Broward Volunteer Day in conjunction with Church United and Love South Florida. A team of volunteers from local churches paint and landscape a Pompano Beach home during a Love South Florida event coordinated by Rebuilding Together Broward and Church United.