After living in Alexandria for nearly 40 years, Gloria reached a breaking point with her home. She lived alone and suffered from severe mobility issues, relying on a walker and oxygen tank to help her get around. She was not able to comfortably leave her home beyond the occasional trip to the grocery store and visits to the doctor.
Before contacting us, Gloria was overwhelmed by a long list of repairs that she was not physically or financially able to address. Her air-conditioning unit had stopped working, her kitchen cabinet fell down over her stove, and the stairs were a serious fall risk. Spending a lot of time in a home that was seemingly falling apart around her was not healthy for the body or the mind.
We sent a team from Booz Allen Hamilton into Gloria’s home on National Rebuilding Day 2018. It was one of seven homes Booz Allen Hamilton volunteers worked on. They tackled the projects that Gloria had “racked her brains trying to figure out how [she was] going to pay for.” A licensed electrician determined that her circuit breaker for her outdoor air-conditioning unit was defective and installed a new one. Late one Friday summer night, volunteers replaced her kitchen cabinet, added railings to interior and exterior stairs, and installed a window that used to be boarded up. When asked if she thought her home was healthier as a result of the work the volunteers had done she said, “Oh yes, because of what they have done, it is. It really is.” She was thrilled that the repairs made her feel safe again in her own home.
There are people with stories similar to Gloria’s all around our area who need their neighbors to step in and lend a hand. Volunteers from varied backgrounds and skill levels have transformed homes and the lives of the people living in them every year on National Rebuilding Day since 1986. If your company or organization would like to participate in this year’s National Rebuilding Day on April 27, please contact us at 703-836-1021.
Rebuilding Together DC • Alexandria is an award-winning, mission-driven organization that creates healthy neighborhoods for residents by maintaining housing for low-income homeowners, revitalizing community spaces, and creating homeownership opportunities. Since 1986, more than 29,000 volunteers have worked on 2,200 projects, leveraging $8.8 million worth of in-kind value to the area.
We are now accepting applications from Alexandria homeowners for free home repairs. Visit www.RebuildingTogetherDCA.org or call 703-836-1021.