Stories

Housing is a big factor in the area of health.

Surprised?

It makes sense if you think about it: If someone is to live a healthy life, they need a healthy environment. If they’re in a healthy environment, they’ll be able to work, go to school, and live an active life.

But, maintaining a healthy environment isn’t always feasible. Anyone who’s owned a house knows that home ownership comes with great financial responsibility. On top of that, the condition of our home has major impacts on the wellbeing of individuals and our community, yet some can’t afford the financial strain that home upkeep requires due to limited incomes.

That’s where Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte steps in.

Rebuilding Together’s mission is for everyone to have a safe home, regardless of financial means. They work towards that vision by mobilizing community volunteers to provide critical home repairs for low-income homeowners. By providing routine home maintenance, Rebuilding Together is stepping into the affordable housing crisis and allowing at-risk families to not only keep their home but improve the overall quality of that home so they can live a healthy, active life. Whether that’s allowing senior citizens to live with dignity in a home designed to accommodate their needs or improving kid’s school performance, well-maintained homes are a key contributor to a healthy life.

One of their most impactful projects to date is when Rebuilding Together worked with a homeowner battling breast cancer. Forced into early retirement due to her cancer, she’d lived in this home for 20+ years and found herself with the challenge of maintaining her family home. Several years ago, the AC went out and the roof started leaking. When the team first walked into her house, it was an overwhelming experience for the senses.

The smell of mildew was potent, wallpaper was peeling off the wall due to the moisture, and a film of mold covered the furniture. After the Rebuilding Together team came in to replace the roof, put in a new AC and furnace, and renovate the kitchen, bathroom, and more, the impact became clear. While the homeowner is still going through treatment for breast cancer, the sinus infections that were being caused by the unhealthy environment are now gone! Now, she won’t have to go through another blistering North Carolina summer without AC and can continue fighting her battle with breast cancer with the benefits of a healthy living environment on her side.

We understand this is a lot to take in, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the affordable housing crisis in Charlotte. Thankfully, getting involved in tackling this important issue with Rebuilding Together is simple. Whether you’re just handy around the house, or a tradesman who wants to donate your time to helping others, Rebuilding Together needs volunteers for projects throughout 2019 and beyond!

If you’re none of the above, Rebuilding Together has committees in need of members, such as the Marketing and Community Outreach committee, that doesn’t involve any home repair talent. For any company leaders seeing this article, a Rebuilding Together project is a great team building opportunity. Send a team to work on a project or financially sponsor a project. Either way, Rebuilding Together makes it easy to do good together.