Rebuilding Together Montgomery County

Rebuilding Together rehabilitates the houses of low-income homeowners, primarily for the elderly and the disabled, so that they may live in warmth, safety and independence.

How do you help people in my community?

Rebuilding Together covers all areas of Montgomery County, and though you may not see it, there are people in your neighborhood who need our services. Montgomery County is one of the most affluent communities in the country, which makes it that much harder for those at or near the poverty line to remain engaged in our community.

Many of the recipients of Rebuilding Together’s services are otherwise invisible to the community. Through disability, frailty, or depression, they have withdrawn from the community, and in many cases, may literally be trapped within their home. The modifications provided by Rebuilding Together allow them to access the community once more, sharing their talents, personalities, and gifts with all of us.

In addition, almost all of us know a senior who lives alone, for whom we worry about their safety. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths in seniors, and 55% of falls for seniors happen in the home – another 23% happen near the home. By making needed safety improvements and modifications to prevent falls, Rebuilding Together is allowing our seniors to remain safely and independently within their homes.

Finally, there is the cost benefit for all in this kind of work. As the property value of the home in question increases, everyone benefits. As the home in question is more attractive and safe, all the residents in that neighborhood benefit. The average direct cost for a senior fall is $9,400 in medical expenses – for low-income families, that is often paid for by the community. Preventing these falls reduces the taxpayer costs associated with treating them.

Why do you need my support?

Rebuilding Together relies on support from the community to accomplish our goals. Local businesses, civic and religious groups, and foundations support much of the work behind Rebuilding Together, but it really is a community effort, and you are an important part of that community. Individual giving allows Rebuilding Together to target areas most in need and focus on them without restriction – a company may come or go – but community support is essential to the success of any community-based program such as Rebuilding Together. We see your support as a mandate for this work, and we are proud to provide it on behalf of all who care about Montgomery County’s low-income families.

How can I be sure that you will use my money wisely and won't waste it?

Rebuilding Together is very proud of the fact that we leverage every dollar donated seven times, which means that when you donate $1 to Rebuilding Together, we provide $7 worth of work to the families we serve. We are able to do this by securing donated or discounted product, recruiting skilled and unskilled volunteer labor, and structuring a timetable to get the work done as efficiently as possible. Our overhead costs are low – only 10% of our total budget, and we have nearly 1,200 families who can testify on the impact of the work we do. We submit a Form 990 every year, are audited for our Annual Report, and as a United Way funded agency also funded by foundations, Rebuilding Together must be diligent with the way we use and track our funding. We are subject to strict guidelines from our funders, and we take financial accountability very seriously. In addition, Rebuilding Together is registered on Guidestar.com, and is also a part of national network of affiliates with guidelines on standards of excellence, of which fiscal responsibility is paramount.

Can I Volunteer? How?

The heart behind Rebuilding Together is our volunteer corps. The majority of our volunteers come through the house sponsor groups that wish to adopt a home and engage a team of their members/employees to get the work accomplished. Should you think your company, civic organization, or congregation would be interested in putting together volunteer teams to sponsor a house, please contact us and we will facilitate that process.

However, that is not the only way to participate. We do have individual workdays available, and for those who are not do-it-yourselfers, we also enjoy working with volunteers on community outreach, fundraising, public relations, and administrative work as needed. We encourage you to get involved!