Dear Patti,

Falls are the leading cause of injuries for adults over 65. Our low-cost fall safety modifications made during National Rebuilding Day and as part of our RT Express program are life-changing for our neighbors in need.

National Rebuilding Day (NRD) was a resounding success thanks to our faith, corporate and community partners. In April, NRD teams from our partners, along with 16 RT Express volunteers, worked on 12 homes and four nonprofit residential facilities. We're highlighting St. Peter's Episcopal Church and M&T Bank in this issue of our newsletter and you'll learn about more of our partners in upcoming issues.

Our Rebuilding Together Express teams continue their busy schedule working at two or three homes each week. They focus on improving safety and accessibility for seniors in need, focusing on 40 common repairs.

Mrs. T, a neighbor in Alexandria, wrote a lovely note of appreciation for the repairs and modifications our RT Express team made at her home:

"I sincerely appreciate the excellent job by your team. I feel safer and more secure living in my house, being now 92 years old and in poor health. I am forever grateful."

We make homes safe and healthy for our neighbors in need thanks to our dedicated volunteers, your generous financial support, support from our faith, corporate and foundation partners, and funding provided by Arlington County and Fairfax County.

Together we are making a difference.

#WeAreRebuilders

P.S. We've uploaded hundreds of pictures to the RT-AFF Flickr. Please take a look - you'll see lots of smiling volunteers working hard to improve the lives of families, people with disabilities and seniors in our community.

Our longtime partner St. Peter's Episcopal Church kicked off National Rebuilding Day by making repairs and modifications for Erma and Arthur. The team was pleased to discover that they had many community connections in common as Erma's father was one of the first paid African American firefighters at Halls Hill Station #8 in Arlington. Erma and her family made numerous contributions to the Arlington community. Erma and Arthur were thrilled to have their wheelchair ramp repaired, new flooring installed in their kitchen, ivy removed and their yard cleaned up, a new storm door and exterior lighting installed, and their garden planted with colorful flowers. It was a match made in heaven and the St. Peter's volunteers were delighted to work with Erma and Arthur to make their home safe and healthy. Check out more photos of St. Peter's at work, and photos from other NRD and RT Express projects on our Flickr.

Our partner M&T Bank did interior painting at one of the CRi homes in Arlington on National Rebuilding Day. Our friends from CRi wrote "The volunteers gave so much effort and helped our residents feel valued and part of the community."CRi offers residential services for adults with disabilities.

We were thrilled to receive a call from Gisele Foulks at MainStreet Bank regarding a contribution through their employee directed "Making Change" program. Fairfax City Mayor Catherine Read joined us at MainStreet Bank's headquarters for the check presentation. To our surprise and deep gratitude, MainStreet Bank CEO Jeff Dick and President Abdul Hersiburane doubled the contribution on the spot to $12,000 in honor of Mayor Read. MainStreet Bank's support strengthens our capacity to serve homeowners in need and reinforces our shared commitment to serve our community.

David Throckmorton (center), a Team Leader with our RT Express program, was honored at the Privilege Awards for Outstanding Community Service. Presented by the Bernie L. Bates Foundation, these awards recognize individuals in the Fairfax County community who embody the values and principles championed by the late Lord Fairfax Col. Marion "Barney" Barnwell, Ret., a longstanding RT-AFF board member whose legacy is celebrated through this honor. In just three years David worked on 65 projects, developed essential skills for our standard repairs and modifications, and assumed the roll of RT Express Team Leader. Congratulations David! Thank you for dedicating your time and expertise to ensuring safe and healthy homes for our neighbors in need, and for all of the time you give volunteering with other organizations in our community.

Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church

Phone 703.528.1999 | Fax 703.528.1197

info@rebuildingtogether-aff.org | www.rebuildingtogether-aff.org