Beer, clam chowder, sports, "Pawtys" and snow. What's not to love about Boston? Even amidst the 7 feet of February powdering, were neighbors dressed in bathrobes and uggs, joking together about how best to dig igloo-tunnels, for maximizing pub commute efficiencies. The Boston culture, rich in appreciation for humor & resilience, is also known for their pride of giving. The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranks Boston as the 10th most charitable metropolitan area in the country. One non-profit organization is making good-use of this public generosity and empowering a community by preserving the most important commodity to all: HOMES. Rebuild Together Boston (RTB) has completed almost 400 real estate rehab projects, enlisting 20,000 skilled and unskilled workers, while adding $7 million worth of value to the community.
Rebuild Together Boston
Rebuilding Real Estate and Lives Simultaneously
Let’s face it, most of us don't live on Martha’s Vineyard. Some of us won't ever aspire to. Preserving all communities, and the individuals who serve them is key. At some point in human lives, no matter where you live, there may be an unexpected time when the community served, may be called upon to reciprocate. A couple weeks ago, we spoke about an organization fulfilling ‘One Dream’ for the elderly. The security of a home is a common and all too rare dream. What if all that stood in the way of someone remaining in a home, one that they worked a lifetime to earn, was to complete emergency repairs? This is actually quite a common problem. There are approximately 6,000 elderly people, not to mention a multitude of otherwise aged deserving people, who rent or own properties classified as “worst case needs.” Medical emergencies, fixed income conundrums, and general crisis: When one must choose food and medical care over critical home repairs, a downward spiral looms. We cannot prevent all crisis, but we can choose whether the effects are minimized, or glorified. Rebuild Together Boston is making sure that the value of community starting with individual homes, is not sacrificed. A crisis slinking into another can be averted much more simply than previously thought.
Formed in 1991 RTB, relies on financial contributions of individuals and corporations, while also gathering goods and services from the generosity of local businesses. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 5.2 million homeowners live in deteriorating, physically inadequate homes that threaten their well-being. This also threatens the well-being, and value of entire communities. Strengthen your community one member at a time, and your entire environment, including the role that the helped community member plays, so a sustaining team is formed.
Related: Boston Receives Rockefeller Award
Worst Case Needs Inspire Real Estate Rehab
Leave it to “Titletown” to support their struggling community members with the fervor of sports fans. Celebrating National Rebuilding Month, Rebuild Together Boston, and 166 affiliates across the nation, completed two days of service that will continue to inspire receivers and volunteers within the Boston communities for years to come. April 24th marked the first day, and skilled and unskilled volunteers alike, came out to help with the critical refurbishing of the
Blackstone CC - PeeWee BasketballBlackstone Community Center in Boston’s South End. The ripple effect spread under the blue skies, and propelled hearts of gold in Dorchester, Hyde Park and Roslindale. RTB volunteers led critical real estate rehab projects in 6 homes. This included a new storm door of a veteran whose home was damaged by storms this year, a new stairway for a single parent of limited means, and the building of a handicap ramp and retrofitted bathroom for a stroke victim, who serves as mother, grandmother, and aunt to many. The actual electrical, plumbing and critical landscape repairs are just the beginning. The community banding together is what inspires!
Related: Deconstruct and Restore
Let's Help Them Broaden Their Resources
Powered by volunteers, corporate sponsors and community member sponsors, RTB
has set a pace to be envied and adopted. They have certainly crowdsourced the labor well. Now, how can we help them raise the level of financial gifts by crowdfunding a specific goal of projects this year? Goodwill of volunteers prevents further decay, but even more importantly, the camaraderie builds sustaining communities who stand together and affect the world.
Be part of revitalizing Boston, one real estate rehab project at a time, by choosing your own investment site to rehab, or by joining Rebuild Together Boston.
Whether seeking to inspire yourself, an entire community, or another individual, how would you enlist crowdfunding to reduce the limits of what can be accomplished?
