Category: Stories

Ms. Preseldia’s home of ten years was badly damaged by the flooding of May 31st.  The flood waters completely ruined her hard wood floors and the walls were affected eighteen inches up from the floor.  Ms. Preseldia received some money from FEMA, but was physically unable to completed the needed repairs on her own.

“I knew about Rebuilding Together because you had previously helped my mother before she passed away,” said Preseldia.  “I called your organization and you came to my rescue!”

Combining Preseldia’s payment from FEMA with disaster recovery money from donors including the AARP and State Farm, Rebuilding Together OKC replaced the sheetrock throughout Preseldia’s home, painted the entire interior and installed brand new carpet!

“There’s no place like home,” Ms. Preseldia says. “Your help was a true blessing and it allows me to be able to remain in my home.  I can’t say thank you enough!”

Ms. Preseldia has beautifully decorated her remodeled home.  She is currently turning her guest room into a children’s room.  Her desire is to become a foster parent and take care of children who need a family.

You can support Rebuilding Together OKC by participating in two exciting events at the end of October!

#1. Eat at Patty Wagon on October 28!

If you like delicious burgers and hand-cut fries, eating locally in OKC, and supporting organizations that make a difference in your community, this event is for you!  Join us on Monday, October 28 for lunch or dinner at Patty Wagon!  A percentage of sales that day will go to support our Year-Round Programs!!

Learn more about Patty Wagon!

#2. Attend Schmooza Palooza on October 29!

Enjoy meeting new friends!?  Want to sample foods from OKC restaurants!?   Do you like winning prizes?!  On Tuesday, October 29, you need to be at Schmooza Palooza, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s trade show!  Tickets are only $10 (including one drink).  Rebuilding Together OKC has been selected as a Networking Game Sponsor for this event!

Learn more about Schmooza Palooza!

If you want to volunteer at the Rebuilding Together booth during Schmooza Palooza let us know!  We’d love to have volunteers sharing our story with OKC.  We’ll even buy your ticket!

Mark Egner, contractor and Rebuilding Together South Sound volunteer from Tacoma, Wash., named winner after nationwide search

We are thrilled to congratulate Mark Egner of Frank and Sons Construction in Tacoma, Wash. as the winner of the third annual Rebuilding Together Tradesperson of the Year™ contest presented by Lowe’s! We just announced the news at the Remodeling Show & DeckExpo in Chicago this evening. We will issue a formal press release tomorrow morning to share the news nationwide, but wanted you to be the first to know. Thank you for your nominations and for helping us spread the word about the contest!

Rebuilding Together joined Lowe’s, HGTV, DIY Network, MyFixitUpLife and Choice Hotels International to find skilled tradespersons throughout the United States that give back to their communities and add value to their industries. Mark has been involved with Rebuilding Together South Sound for 10 years, acting as construction manager and averaging 100 to 150 pre-project home visits per year. He also serves as a house captain on rebuilding days and is a year-round volunteer. He traveled to New Orleans as part of Rebuilding Together’s 50 for 5 event in 2010 and spent a week in New York City recently, aiding hurricane recovery efforts. We would like to thank Mark for all of his hard work and dedication!

Congratulations and thanks to our 5 runners-up

The five runners-up are Darrel Gooler, Mark Elliott of Elliott Remodeling, Bill Hutson of Table Talk Ministries, Nicholas Riley of N Riley Construction and Kevin Wrynn of Kevin Wrynn Carpentry. We would like to thank each of these tradespeople for their service to those in need!

To learn more about the nationwide contest and view the winner and finalists, please visit http://www.rttradespersonoftheyear.com/.

The SchmoozaPalooza Trade Show is coming up on Tues. Oct 29th at State Fair Park!  Rebuilding Together OKC is looking for a few volunteers to help run our networking booth.  Volunteers will receive FREE entry into the event. (Tickets are $10 per person includes one drink ticket and a fun way to meet new friends and customers.)  Email rebuildingtogether@coxinet.net if you’d like to volunteer!

To learn more about SchmoozaPalooza check out the OKC Chamber Website!

Roof work by Majestic Roofing

On May 31, when heavy rain, thunderstorms and tornadoes swept through the OKC metro, Ms. Janet’s home took a hard hit.  Her roof was already in need of repair, and these natural disasters made her problems even worse.  “I had to keep buckets in my living room to catch the water when it rained.”  Ms. Janet pointed to a huge hole in her ceiling.  “The water would pour right into my living room.”

Water damages insulation in the attic, sheet-rock on the walls and flooring throughout the home.  Without a roof replacement, Ms. Janet’s home would continue to deteriorate.   Ms. Janet, however, did not have the thousands of dollars it would cost to pay for a new roof.  She turned to Rebuilding Together OKC.

Rebuilding Together OKC, with help from Majestic Roofing, used resources from their Disaster Relief fund, established by grants and generous donors this spring, to replaced Janet’s roof.  “I love the new roof,” said Janet.  “And I know it will be better on my electric bill.”

Ms. Janet, born and raised in Oklahoma City, gets to remain in her home of 17 years.

Rebuilding Together OKC is currently providing disaster relief assistance for clients living in the Oklahoma City metro.  If you are, or know someone who is, in need of repairs caused by the spring severe weather, you can find our application here!

As of Monday, October 7^th, Congress and the President remain unable to agree on how to fund the government for the funding year, which has resulted in a continuing shutdown of the Federal government since October the 1st. The shutdown has little to no impact on the Federal programs that support Rebuilding Together in the short-term.

The 65 CapacityCorps members at 32 affiliates will continue to be paid. The AmeriCorps grant that funds Rebuilding Together’s CapacityCorps program has already been awarded and will not be affected by the shutdown.  Similarly, the 57 affiliates who receive CDBG funding, which is awarded in the form of grants from the city or county in which they operate, will continue to be funded during the shutdown.

In the longer term, funding for Federal programs that support Rebuilding Together and would arrive in June/August of next year are at risk of being cut moderately, or significantly, but not eliminated. The debt-limit, which could be reached on October 17^th, would impact the economy and low-income homeowners if it were reached, and the United States were unable to pay our debts. However, we continue to put the odds that an agreement in some form with respect to the debt limit and the shutdown will be reached before the 17^th at over 95%.  Even if that 95% expectation is not realized, CDBG and CapacityCorps funding for this year are safe.

We are engaging as appropriate and will continue to monitor the situation and its impact on Rebuilding Together priorities.

If you have any questions, please email Matt de Ferranti at MdeFerranti@RebuildingTogether.org or call him at 202-518-3123

Tomorrow morning, Rebuilding Together OKC will be LIVE on KFOR News Channel 4, with Ashley Kringen to test drive a few Derby cars in preparation for the 10th Annual Construction Derby!!  Be sure to tune in!!  Live shot times are: 7:36 a.m. 8:05 a.m. 8:36 a.m.

And don’t forget to stop by the FREE Construction Derby event on Sunday!  Kick-off at 11:45, Races start at 2pm!!

A race of non-motorized derby cars on NW 5^th Street in downtown OKC to raise money for Rebuilding Together OKC

Oklahoma City, OK. – Twenty-five derby vehicles, constructed of materials commonly used to make home modifications and repairs for Rebuilding Together OKC homeowners, will race in downtown Oklahoma City, competing in the 10^th Annual Construction Derby. New to this year’s Construction Derby, Rebuilding Together will use a drag race style Christmas Tree lighting system at the starting line. This “PortATree” staging will allow for more accurate and exciting competition!

WHAT: Two classes will compete – professional and amateur – in this annual derby car race supporting the nonprofit Rebuilding Together OKC, which strives to keep senior citizens safe, warm and dry by providing free home repairs and safety modifications.  Construction Derby is an all-day event with children’s activities, a car show, and tailgating happening simultaneously.

WHEN: Sunday, October 6

• 11:45 a.m. Race timed trials
• 12:00 p.m. Special events begin (children’s area open, car show, Bricktown Clowns, Roxy’s Ice Cream Social, Kona Ice, Choc Beer)/Tailgating with free lunch
• 2:00 p.m. Race begins
• Approx. 4:00 p.m. Awards presentation

WHERE: “No Motor Speedway” (NW 5TH between WALKER & SHARTEL)

WHO: Derby teams are financial supporters of Rebuilding Together including businesses and community groups, which registered prior to derby.  The Construction Derby event is open to the general public and entry is free.

RSVP: Sara Norton-Sanner, community relations, Rebuilding Together OKC, sarachristine@rebuildingtogetherokc.org, 405-607-0464.

 

 

Rebuilding Together OKC brings volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of low-income, elderly homeowners in the Oklahoma City metro area. Through our Year-Round Emergency Repair / Home Modification Program and our annual Rebuilding Day Program, we provide free home repairs, emergency home repairs and home modifications that foster safer mobility and independence, changing the lives of our elderly neighbors so they can age in place with grace and dignity.  For more information visit www.rebuildingtogetherokc.org

Congratulations to the members of Rebuilding Together’s AmeriCorps program CapacityCorps for taking home the People’s Choice Award at The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) 2013 National Service Impact Awards!

Recipients were announced at the AmeriCorps 20th Anniversary celebration on Sept. 20, 2013, in Washington, DC.

Learn more about their entry below:

Rebuilding Together, MLK Day and AmeriCorps, Oklahoma City, OK

Members of the Rebuilding Together AmeriCorps program, CapacityCorps, dedicated the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service to rebuilding homes and revitalizing communities in Oklahoma City.

Sixty-two AmeriCorps members came together from 20 different states to perform critical home repair services for veteran and senior citizen home owners in need. Rebuilding Together AmeriCorps members serving a collective 3,000 hours repaired nine homes with the help of area high school students and community members in the Carverdale-Edwards-South Creston Hills triangle area in Oklahoma City.

You can see all of the winners here: www.nationalservice.gov/special-initiatives/service-impact-awards

Learn more about the CapacityCorps program and MLK Work Week at Rebuilding Together OKC’s webpage!