Mission
Rebuilding Together aims to repair homes, revitalize communities, and rebuild lives. By preserving affordable homeownership and revitalizing neighborhoods through free home repairs and modifications for those in need, Rebuilding Together works towards its vision of safe homes and communities for everyone.
Long Island Cares is guided by seven principles: leadership, innovation, collaboration, accountability, respect, empowerment and stewardship.
Supported Causes
Safe and Healthy Housing is the foundation of Rebuilding Together’s home repair work, based on the organization’s 8 Principles of Healthy Homes: dry, clean, pest-free, safe, contaminant-free, well-ventilated, maintained and thermally controlled. In Community Revitalization Partnerships, Rebuilding Together affiliates work in a coordinated approach with community residents and leaders to achieve their development goals, by creating and executing plans that address the needs of that specific community.
Resources are obtained from grants, donations, sponsorships and gifts from businesses, schools and other organizations.
The Foundation's History
In 1973, a group of residents in the city of Midland, Texas, identified a growing need to rehabilitate houses in their neighborhood which had fallen into disrepair. They volunteered their time and skills to make repairs on behalf of owners who could not afford to do so on their own. From this simple act of neighbors helping neighbors, Rebuilding Together was born.
Initially founded as Christmas in April, the group’s activities achieved national recognition. In 1988, Christmas in April opened its national office, and in 2000 the organization changed its name to Rebuilding Together. Today, it is a leading national nonprofit organization with a network of affiliates collaborating with residents, community leaders, volunteers and funders to repair homes and revitalize local communities across the country.
Projects and Programs
Rebuilding Together has several targeted programs that address the needs of specific homeowner populations:
Building a Healthy Neighborhood
Building a Healthy Neighborhood is a longer-term partnership between Rebuilding Together, local residents, community leaders, and volunteers. It is a multiyear commitment to revitalize a target neighborhood by improving the health, safety and accessibility of homes, while strengthening community infrastructure through the revitalization of parks, schools, community centers and nonprofit facilities.
Disaster Readiness and Recovery
Rebuilding Together’s Disaster Readiness and Recovery program helps families and communities impacted by natural or man-made disasters to rebuild their homes and lives. The program focuses on four areas: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Rebuilding Together is one of the few providers of long-term recovery support in the US.
Safe at Home
Safe at Home aims to improve aging-in-place outcomes for low-income older adults through the no-cost modification of their home environment to meet their specific needs. The program focuses on accommodating the physical and cognitive changes that come with age, by improving accessibility and independence, reducing falls and implementing fire prevention strategies.
Veterans at Home
Veterans at Home provides no-cost preventive home modifications and repairs for veterans and their families to improve safety and accessibility, increase independence and facilitate aging-in-place. It also focuses on the reconstruction and revitalization of nonprofits and community centers that serve veterans and their families.
She Builds
She Builds is Rebuilding Together’s women-focused and women-led program. Through participation in home or community center renovation projects, women learn basic carpentry and plumbing, electrical safety, and other skills that enable them to maintain safe and healthy homes. Leadership training and mentoring encourage them to become change makers in their communities, building a supportive community network.
