|
Bringing volunteers and communities together
to improve the homes and lives of low-income homeowners.
|
|
GREEN
TIP OF THE MONTH
I have been waiting for it to rain for several days now.
My vegetable garden is in desperate need of a good soaking, not to
mention the yard has become more yellow than green. But all this
waiting for rain has got me thinking about water and how much we depend
on it to live our daily lives. Did you know that at least 36 states
could be facing water shortage problems in the next four years?
Droughts could worsen that outlook. Why is this happening? Our
population keeps growing but our water source is finite. The average
American uses 100 gallons of water each day - that's enough to fill
1,600 drinking glasses. And despite what many assume, even using cold
water consumes significant energy. Roughly 4% of U.S. electricity
consumption is due to moving or treating water and wastewater! In fact,
letting a faucet run for five minutes (on cold) consumes about as much
energy as leaving a 60-watt light bulb on for 14 continuous hours. Of
course, a considerable amount of additional energy goes into heating
water for bathing, cooking, and cleaning our homes, dishes, and
clothes. To learn ways you can conserve water (and energy!) visit WaterSense.
|
|
This
summer book your travel and finish your holiday shopping at www.ytbtravel.com/
rebuildingtogether
and support RTMC from the comfort of your own home!
Flights are comparable in price to Orbitz and Expedia with a portion of
the proceeds benefiting RTMC.
|
|
|
|
Join us in New Orleans! August 24 - 28, 2010
Rebuilding Together will celebrate the unwavering
spirit of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans with the rehabilitation of
another fifty homes this August. Join us as Rebuilding Together comes
closer to reaching our goal of 1,000 homes completed in the Gulf.
Community block parties, local music and entertainment, a thousand
volunteers, and celebrities will be present at project sites all
week, creating one of the biggest impact projects New Orleans has
experienced since the first hurricane in 2005.
Individuals: There is a $250 volunteer logistics fee. This fee
covers transportation to and from the worksite, supplies needed for
the projects, breakfast and lunch for four days, etc. This fee does
NOT include housing, evening meals, or travel to and from New
Orleans. However, discounted hotel rates range from $59 to
$72 per night for single or double occupancy. Download the
Volunteer Brochure for more information and contact Susan Hawfield at
shawfield@rebuildingtogethermc.org
or 301-933-2700 to register with the RTMC group.
*The national office of Rebuilding Together will cover
the $250 volunteer fee for the first 300 volunteers who sign up by
July 1, 2010! So contact Susan ASAP to secure your free spot!
Corporations: Sponsorship
opportunities are available at a variety of levels. Contact Jennifer
Shreve at jshreve@rebuildingtogether.org
or 202-493-9083 to find out more.
Can't participate? You can still watch or contribute as Rebuilding
Together rebuilds and reclaims New Orleans as the city it once was:
www.fiftyforfive.org
|
|
Cricket Communications Partners with RTMC
Rebuilding Together Montgomery County was pleased to partner with
Cricket Communications and our national organization to repair and
rebuild the home of a local low-income homeowner. Cricket
Communications came to us with a grant of $15,000 wanting to give
back to the customer base to which it serves. On June 9th, 30 Cricket
volunteers teamed up with RTMC to make much needed repairs to Mr. F's
home in Silver Spring.
Mr. F has lived in his home all his life. Diagnosed with Parkinson's
Disease several years ago and living on a limited income, Mr. F has
trouble maintaining his family home. A recent fall combined with the
Parkinson's and other ailments make it likely that Mr. F will be
using a wheelchair in the next couple of years.
The Cricket team gathered early on that rainy Wednesday (the only day
it would rain that week!) and broke into task groups. The volunteers
installed grab bars in the bathroom, rebuilt the dilapidated back
porch, removed yard waste, painted 3 interior rooms, and removed many
heavy items Mr. F no longer needed but could not remove himself.
The remaining grant money will be used to renovate Mr. F's
non-functional kitchen to be wheelchair accessible should he be using
a wheelchair in the future. The sink plumbing will be fixed, new
lower height cabinets and countertops will be installed, and a new
smooth floor will be put down.
|
UPCOMING EVENTS +
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Become a Member of the RTMC Community Warehouse Committee
The RTMC Community Warehouse is designed to support the RTMC mission
AND the Montgomery County community. Not only do we turn to the
warehouse for supplies for projects throughout the year, but
low-income families can also "shop" the warehouse through
programs like Linkages
to Learning. RTMC is looking for volunteers to create a
committee that oversee the operation of the Community Warehouse and
develop new partnerships with other organizations like Linkages to
Learning. For more information, please contact Susan Hawfield at shawfield@rebuildingtogethermc.org or 301-933-2700.
|
|
|
|
|
