HAVERHILL, MA – In preparation for the annual Rebuilding Day in April, volunteers and
employees from Lowe’s of Haverhill are dedicating their time and expertise in
the upcoming weeks to ensure that this year’s event will help as many of our
neighbors as possible. As in the past 16 years, the objective of Rebuilding
Together of Greater Haverhill is to improve the lives of elderly, disabled and
low-income families who are in need of home repairs so that everyone in our
community will keep safe, warm and independent in their own homes.
The projects
planned for this year include almost a dozen
roof repairs, nearly 30 energy efficient replacement windows, two wheelchair
ramps, and safety repairs such as installation of fire alarms, CO2 detectors,
non-slip flooring, grab bars and handrails It will feature two families of
veterans who have served our country. It takes a community to come together to
make it all happen: local contractors, carpenters, licensed plumbers and
electricians, as well as general handy persons and hard working volunteers who
just want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. This year with the
Lowe’s grant of $10,000 even more of our neighbors will be helped.
Many of these
projects, made possible through a $1
million grant from Lowe’s, is just a few of 40 Rebuilding
Together projects awarded a grant
following Lowe’s annual Swing for Charity, a charitable golf event hosted by
the company and supported by its vendors.
“To be
a part of the community means you roll up your
sleeves and work with neighbors to help make the lives of others better,” said
Lynn Murphy, program manager for Rebuilding Together Greater Haverhill,
“Through these efforts, Lowe’s is committed to preserving and revitalizing the
homes of the elderly, persons with disabilities and lower income families.”
Other local sponsors and
participants include Pentucket Bank, Haverhill Breakfast Exchange and
Georgetown Bank. The Haverhill Rebuilding Together program also receives
funding from the Griffin White Foundation and municipal housing resources, as
well as many generous donations from individuals and local businesses. Four
hundred volunteers from community organizations and schools are expected to
join in making the day of service extraordinary this year on Saturday April 25th--
everything from breakfast for volunteers hosted by the Haverhill Elks Lodge to
dedicated individuals who volunteer each year to pick up the trash bags at the
end of the day after everyone else has gone home. The program depends on each
act of kindness shown toward others who have less than themselves. It truly
makes a difference.
“Homeownership is under
threat today in America,” said Gary Officer, president and CEO of Rebuilding
Together. “With Lowe’s and many other corporate partners, we are working to
preserve homeownership, one of the most important elements of stability and sustainability
in our communities.”
“Lowe’s is in the business of
helping people improve and maintain their homes,” said Larry D. Stone, chairman
of the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation. “We are proud to partner
with Rebuilding Together to renovate and modify homes for some of our
community’s most vulnerable residents. Lowe’s shares Rebuilding Together’s
commitment to creating a safe and comfortable environment to accommodate a
homeowner’s special needs.”
Rebuilding Together is
America's largest volunteer-based home-repair organization bringing volunteers
and communities together to improve the homes and lives of homeowners in need.
“Through our rebuilds this week, we’re bringing warmth, safety and
accessibility to homeowners who do not have the financial or physical
wherewithal to complete home repairs and other necessary improvements,” said
Murphy of Haverhill’s Rebuilding Together.
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ABOUT REBUILDING
TOGETHER
Rebuilding Together
is the nation's largest nonprofit
organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize
neighborhoods by providing free home repair and modification services to those
in need. With the help of everyday citizen volunteers, skilled trades people,
the support of local business and major corporate partners, Rebuilding Together
affiliates in America’s largest cities and smallest towns make life
considerably better for thousands of low-income homeowners.
In addition to
its core home repair work, Rebuilding
Together also rehabilitates community centers and conducts home modification
and repair programs that focus on aging in place. Rebuilding Together has
programs dedicated to energy efficiency, veteran’s housing, and disaster
recovery and reconstruction.
Rebuilding Together
is currently celebrating 20 years
as a national organization and the completion of over 100,000 homes thanks to
the efforts of more than 200 affiliates nationwide.
For more information, visit www.RebuildingTogether.org.
For more information about
the Haverhill affiliate, visit www.RebuildingTogetherHaverhill.org
ABOUT LOWE’S
Lowe’s is a proud supporter
of Habitat for Humanity International, American Red Cross, United Way of
America, and the Home Safety Council, in addition to numerous non-profit
organizations and programs that help communities across the country. In
2007, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together
contributed more than $27.5 million to support community and education projects
in the United States and Canada. Lowe’s also encourages volunteerism through
the Lowe’s Heroes program, a company-wide employee volunteer initiative.
Lowe’s is a FORTUNEŽ 50 company with fiscal year 2007 sales of $48.3 billion
and has more than 1,525 stores in the United States and Canada. For more
information, visit Lowes.com/community.
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