Greetings!

As we close FY 2026 and begin our new fiscal year, we want to say one thing: thank you. 

This year, because of you, we helped more homeowners than ever before through our Home Repair and new AC Rescue programs. We can't wait to share the full impact of this remarkable year with you in the coming weeks. 

One of the defining moments of this past year was the incredible support our community showed when our work was challenged. 

Earlier this year, Fairfax County proposed eliminating FY 2027 funding for our contract to provide critical home repairs and accessibility modifications for low-income homeowners. You showed up in an incredible way. You wrote letters, made phone calls, attended budget hearings, and shared powerful testimony about why safe, healthy homes matter. 

We were truly humbled by your extraordinary support. Although the County ultimately restored $250,000 of the $350,000 requested for FY 2027, your advocacy elevated awareness of our work and reinforced an important message: helping low-income homeowners maintain safe and healthy homes is one of the most cost-effective affordable housing strategies available. More than anything, your support reminded us just how many people believe in our mission and in the neighbors we serve. 

Through it all, our volunteers never slowed down. Week after week, they showed up with tools, skills, and big hearts to help older adults, veterans, people with disabilities, and families live safely in the homes they love. Their unwavering commitment continues to inspire us. 

We are equally grateful for the generosity of our donors who have supported RT-AFF through the years and continue to invest in our mission today. We were especially touched by an extraordinary gift from an anonymous donor. While we may never be able to thank you in person, we want you to know how much your gift means to us and to our mission. Along with the support of so many others, your gift is a powerful reminder that our community believes in this mission and the difference it makes.

The past few months have reminded us that Rebuilding Together-AFF is more than a home repair organization. We are a community of people who believe everyone deserves a safe, healthy place to call home.

As we begin FY 2027, we are more committed than ever to serving our neighbors, demonstrating the impact of our work, and building on the extraordinary support we have received. Thank you for believing in our mission, standing beside us, and helping us strengthen our community—one neighbor at a time

#WeAreRebuilders

As summer temperatures climb, so does the urgency to help our neighbors stay safe from heat emergencies. Through AC Rescue, our partnership with Fairfax County's Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC), we are providing critical cooling assistance to low- and moderate-income homeowners and renters across Fairfax County.

Led by Program Manager Dante Calfayan, AC Rescue provides portable and window air conditioners to households without reliable cooling. When needed, we also install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Eligible homeowners are referred to our RT Express program for a home assessment to identify critical repairs and accessibility modifications that help them remain safe, healthy, and independent in their homes.

For older adults, people with disabilities, and families living on limited incomes, access to air conditioning can be lifesaving. As another hot Virginia summer continues, AC Rescue is helping ensure our most vulnerable neighbors have a safe place to escape the heat.

If you or someone you know needs assistance with cooling, please call our office (income limits apply) or explore these resources provided by Arlington County and Fairfax County.

When Parkinson's disease made it harder for Mr. J to move safely through the Arlington home where he raised his family, his loved ones turned to RT-AFF for help. What followed was a multi-phase project that brought together St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Mr. J's family, contractors, and skilled RT-AFF volunteers to make the home safer, healthier, and more accessible. From a new ramp and stairlift to a renovated bathroom, grab bars, repairs, and major cleanup, the work will help Mr. J age safely in the home he loves while giving his family greater peace of mind.

Check out more photos on our Flickr and read the full story on our blog.

From taking apart phone lines at age eight to leading complex technology integrations for one of the world’s largest aerospace and defense companies, Mark Scherger has spent a lifetime driven by curiosity, ingenuity, and a desire to solve problems. Inspired by a family of hands-on tinkerers and engineers, he built a 38-year career that spanned systems engineering, program management, executive leadership, and major technology transformations at General Electric Aerospace and later Lockheed Martin.

That same passion for understanding how things work now fuels his volunteer service with us, where he applies his technical expertise, project management skills, and commitment to helping others improve their homes and quality of life. Whether piloting his vintage Mooney aircraft, tackling home renovations, serving on our board or leading repair projects as an RTX Team Leader, Mark brings the same combination of curiosity, determination, and compassion that has defined his life and career.

Read Mark's profile on our blog

Imagine having to choose between buying medicine or paying for a plumber. Putting food on the table or fixing gutters that flood the basement every time it rains. These are the harsh realities our neighbors in need face every day.

But together, we can change that. Your donation to Rebuilding Together-AFF provides essential, free home repairs and modifications—so families and older adults don’t have to sacrifice their health or safety to make ends meet.

Please give today. Every gift helps create a safer, healthier home—and a better future.

Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church

Phone 703.528.1999 | Fax 703.528.1197

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