Rebuilding Together Springfield galvanized 1,000 volunteers and repaired 25 homes in honor of National Rebuilding Day.

Colleen Loveless, the executive director of Rebuilding Together Springfield, did such an incredible community rebuild because she wanted to have a broader and more sustainable impact on Springfield’s Old Hill Neighborhood.

Old Hill is the poorest neighborhood in Massachusetts. Colleen said that a number of nonprofits have been building new homes in and around the neighborhood. However, Rebuilding Together Springfield wanted to revitalize Tyler Street in Old Hill to give back to the families that have been there for decades. “They needed critical repairs,” Colleen said. “We wanted to help these homeowners who have stuck it through here for all these years.”

Planning for this expansive project started last November. Rebuilding Together Springfield had some applications in, but they went door to door in Old Hill and attended community meetings to spread the word. People were skeptical at first. Colleen said the poor and elderly are especially vulnerable to fraud. Some homeowners saw the free repairs Rebuilding Together promised to provide as too good to be true. However, it didn’t take too long for the community to start backing Rebuilding Together Springfield in their efforts to revitalize Old Hill.

Usually, Rebuilding Together Springfield repairs about 15 homes with 500 volunteers for National Rebuilding Together all over the city on National Rebuilding Day. Now, they had 25 homes and 1,000 volunteers all on Tyler Street. “It’s pretty amazing work, and we got to see the totality of it and the impact.”

That impact wasn’t just reserved for the volunteers. TD Bank sponsored a block party cookout with live music. There were face painting stations set up for the neighborhood children. Middle schoolers made flower pots and planted them in gardens. Senior citizens manned the arts and crafts table where they made signs for the homeowners. 

The most difficult part for Colleen was making sure she had the right number of volunteers. As word spread, the momentum could hardly be stopped. More and more people donated and wanted to volunteer. Things originally thought impossible to do became a reality thanks to the new donors and volunteers. “It was a nice problem to have,” Colleen joked.

One homeowner that really touched Colleen was an elderly U.S. Marine veteran. He still works full time to support his wife who was diagnosed with cancer. She finished her last round of chemo therapy a week before National Rebuilding Day. One of their children volunteered that day as well. 

A volunteer who Colleen really appreciated was an elderly man who stopped by after lunch, because he knew a lot of morning volunteers would leave around that time. The Springfield man took a shuttle bus and rode his bike from the bus stop to volunteer for the event. Colleen said, “he did all the unglamorous volunteer work: cleaning up after the block party, lifting, trash removal.”

And all their effort went beyond just landscaping and painting. Rebuilding Together Springfield volunteers converted oil heating to natural gas, removed mold, installed ramps, repaired roofs, fixed plumbing, and weatherized homes. They truly revitalized a community.

Tomorrow at 7:30 a.m., Lifetime’s Designing Spaces will air the final installment of Joy Stewart’s journey.

Joy and her grandchildren were living in a home without any heat, water, electricity, or even food. Last December, The local authorities stepped in and helped spread the word about the amount of help Joy and her family needed. Joy’s community banded together and helped her turn her utilities back on. Walmart, Brand Smart and Home Deport donated a water heater, refrigerator, food, clothes, and toys. However, the condition of their home was unlivable and the holiday spirit of giving came to an end.

That’s where Rebuilding Together Broward County and Designing Spaces stepped in. Designing Spaces’ Dream Team took on the biggest rehabilitation challenge they’ve ever seen.Rebuilding Together Broward County and Designing Spaces spent two weeks turning Joy’s house into a safe and healthy home for her and her grandchildren. 

You can their amazing work tomorrow on Lifetime at 7:30 a.m. 

In honor of Women’s History Month, we spoke to a few of our exceptional female leaders to get their thoughts on their careers, their communities, the women who have inspired them, and their advice to women trying to make it in the nonprofit world.

Pam Howe, a board member of Rebuilding Together Peoria, first got involved with Rebuilding Together through volunteering. After finding her volunteer experience so rewarding, she joined Peoria’s Project Selection Committee in 1995. She has been with Rebuilding Together Peoria ever since serving in several roles.

Amy Hoyte, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together South Sound, joined Rebuilding Together through what she called “a lovely mistake.” She quit her previous job during her maternity leave and was searching for an administrative job with a construction company. A friend of hers led her to Rebuilding Together South Sound. After a couple weeks, “Rebuilding Together South Sound became my second baby,” said Amy. And it’s been her second baby for 8 years.

Julie Smith, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together Central Ohio, saw her first Rebuilding Together project in 1996 while she worked with kids in social services. Her husband was one of the first volunteers her affiliate saw in 1991. She became the Executive Director in 1998.

The Impact

All of these leaders have a story to tell about how a homeowner or volunteer affected them.

Two of Pam’s service recipients and their families come out to volunteer for Rebuilding Together Peoria every year on National Rebuild Day. She finds constant inspiration from them. “They have encountered circumstances beyond their control that leave them with physical or financial limitations. Such limitations have not jaded or impeded their willingness to help others, and I will not let the daily challenges or stresses in my life jade or impede me.”

A family Amy met in the beginning of her time with Rebuilding Together still holds a place in her heart. A couple with two teenage boys just had a baby born with severe disabilities. The mother quit her job to care for their child, which significantly impacted their income. The father had to ignore calls from work at night regarding mandatory overtime because they’d lose their Medicaid benefits if he worked too much, which was how they could afford the specialized food their child needed to eat.

 “There was no way to describe the feeling in that house that day for me,” said Amy, a new mom herself at the time. “It hit home and I knew that I would be doing this work for a long time.”

Julie said her volunteers make it impossible not to be happy with her work when they are so happy to be there. “They’re talented and willing to share with each other and our homeowners. It’s the best training grounds for people who want to be homeowners.”

You Can’t Do it Alone

None of these women take sole credit for their successes.

“One role model has been Mother Theresa and her Missionaries of Charity vow to give wholehearted and free service to the poorest of the poor,” said Pam. “My professional role model has been my own mother, who successfully balanced family life and full-time employment at a time when female employment outside the home was not widely accepted. My Rebuilding Together role model was former Vice President for Affiliate Relations, Melissa Flynn, whose ability to convert passion into action I strive to emulate within my affiliate.”

Amy thanks her mother and teachers she had growing up for nurturing her and allowing her the opportunities to make mistakes and to learn from them. She also draws inspiration from Melissa Flynn and Amy Radachi in the Rebuilding Together Network for their long-term dedication to the cause.

Julie credits her father and her family for her success. Her sister has worked with Rebuilding Together as well for 9 years and her husband has been a constant volunteer.

Advice to Women Working in Nonprofits

“Seek out as many different types of experiences as possible at first, to help determine what it is that they are passionate about.” – Amy

“Embrace the cause and let it guide all decisions and actions. Surround yourself with talented people. Develop relationships with a diverse network of advisors and centers of influence.” – Pam

“Stick to your mission. Know your mission. You have to look at it like a for profit. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Nonprofit is still a woman’s world. It’s one place we are truly equal.” - Julie

What makes you give back to your community? Here’s what some of our volunteers had to say about working with Rebuilding Together. 

“The people are so appreciative. An old couple was almost in tears because someone helped and cared that much. Another woman kept watching and interacting with everyone. She saw her house transform in front of her eyes.” - Jim Kahle   

“We have neighbors who need help and we can help them.” - Jerry Liu   

“It takes a special mindset to see the value of doing something for the benefit of others.” - Earl Sires     

“I think we all owe our community something. We live here, earn a living here, raise our families here. We all owe dues to our community.” - Jerry Liu   

“God gave me the ability to put two feet on the floor, to swing a hammer, and people like Janelle can’t do that. Just because she can’t do it herself, doesn’t mean she can’t have it or doesn’t deserve it.” - John Gaspari  

The Woods family, taking care of each other and their community

Meet the Woods family! They’re a father/daughter duo who Rebuilding Together Baltimore and volunteers from the Oak Crest Retirement Community helped by renovating their family home to make it more accessible and safe.

Mr. Woods currently lives with his daughter in their family home in the Colgate neighborhood of Baltimore County. He spent much of his childhood, however, in an orphanage.

At the age of 18, Mr. Woods left school early to join the Navy, where he served for 3 years and rose to the rank of Seaman First Class on the USS Tatum Ship. He was a gunner’s mate on the USS Tatum. He still remembers firing at Japanese and German Planes that flew overhead during World War II.

After leaving the Navy when the war was over, Mr. Woods was homeless for a time. A friend of his found him work at a horse stable. In exchange for room and board, he took care of the horses. He met the daughter of a stable owner when he was out for a ride. He eventually married her and they were together until her passing in 2002.

After his stay at the horse stable, Mr. Woods worked for a dairy farm, General Motors, and eventually the Bethlehem Steel Company. At 60, he went back to school and received his GED certificate.

Mr. Woods, now 86, currently suffers from several medical conditions. He has been diagnosed with carpal tunnel, cataracts, diabetes, and a heart condition. Ms. Woods, his live in daughter, also has a diagnosed brain disorder.

Mr. Woods hasn’t let his health affect his community work though. He is an active member of Destroyer S. Court Sailor Association of Maryland, the VFW, and the Retired Steel Workers Union Hall. He also helps the Red Cross by organizing blood drives at the VFW. He is a certified volunteer minister, giving communion to patients at a local hospital every Sunday.

Despite the large amount of community work Mr. Woods does and the care his daughter provides to him, they still had trouble keeping up with dire home repairs. Rebuilding Together Baltimore, with the help of volunteers from the Oak Crest Retirement Community, repaired their roof and porch, and installed a new stove, handrail station, drywall, grab bar, toilet, and refrigerator. They also replaced their old water heater and furnace. Their bathroom was also redone to better help with William’s limited mobility. Their bathroom now features a Safeway Step in the tub, a shower seat, and a hand held shower head.