PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) – Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, a nonprofit organization, is leading an effort to repair ten homes on a property over a two-day period in West Philadelphia for free.
Part of their goal is to prevent genocide by helping to maintain affordable housing.
Homes along 59th South Street near Chestnut Street in West Philadelphia are being converted Friday and Saturday.
“I feel like it’s Christmas, you know,” said host Lorraine Mobley.
Mobley is one of ten homeowners who receive free home repairs.
“For the next 12 years, I don’t have to worry about my roof,” Mobley said.
All thanks to the cooperation of the community.
“Rebuilding Together Philadelphia repairs 125 homes every year,” said Stefanie Seldin, President/CEO of Rebuilding Together Philadelphia. “Overall, we’re going to do 20 houses in this neighborhood and then next year it’s going to be another 20 and then another.”
According to Seldin, the organization has been working for the community for more than 30 years with help from funding sources through donors, corporations and government support.
The process begins with community partners knocking on doors, deciding which blocks to operate, and then staff inspecting properties.
“Planning, say we need roofing, plumbing, electricity, we bring in subcontractors who are staffed to do that and then we make a list of everything that we need,” says Seldin. I want volunteers to be able to do it.”
They couldn’t do it without experts and volunteers. Seldin says t200 of them will make a difference in two days of repair.
“This is the construction of my third home. As an ex-incarcerate, a young man who never attended a traditional school, Rebuilding Together Philadelphia is an organization that truly empowers those in need. ordinary people and allow them to grow,” said volunteer and filmmaker Shuja Moore.
The primary goal in completing repairs is to help keep long-term families in their homes.
“These projects give hope back to a community,” says Moore.
The organization’s website has information about volunteering and donations. They say they could always use more funding and extra help.
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