Greetings!

Across the country, both our homes and the people who live in them are aging. A recent study from Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies found that many homeowners cannot afford the essential repairs needed to maintain their homes. With one in four owner-occupied homes built before 1960, older adults living on fixed incomes are especially likely to struggle with the rising cost of repairs, putting their safety, independence, and ability to remain at home at risk.

We see this reality every day. We also see the difference that a handrail, grab bar, repaired floor, or wheelchair ramp can make in helping someone continue living in the home and community they love. Every project completed by our volunteers is another step toward preserving affordable homeownership and making aging in place possible.

As the need for our services continues to grow, so does our capacity to serve. I'm delighted to welcome Tom Fay and Bill Gore as our newest RT Express Team Leaders. Their addition brings our regular team leader corps to 12 dedicated leaders, along with several volunteers who generously lead special projects throughout the year. Their expertise and commitment will help us reach even more homeowners with the high-quality repairs and safety modifications that have become the hallmark of our RT Express program.

This cooling season, we've already served 30 households through AC Rescue, our partnership with Fairfax County's Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination. By providing critical cooling support to renters and homeowners, the program helps prevent heat-related illness and enables more neighbors to stay safe and healthy at home.

The stories in this newsletter highlight what makes our organization so special: volunteers sharing their skills, partners investing in our mission, and homeowners whose lives are changed through the kindness of others.  Together, we're creating safer homes, stronger neighborhoods, and a community where older adults, people living with disabilities, and families can live safely, independently, and with dignity.

Thank you for being part of this work. Whether you volunteer, support our mission, advocate on our behalf, or help spread the word, you are making a meaningful difference. I hope you enjoy this issue and take pride in all that we are accomplishing together.

#WeAreRebuilders

With gratitude,

At a recent RT Express project in Reston, our volunteers completed accessibility and safety modifications for a retired Fairfax County Public Schools teacher and her husband, helping them continue to live safely in the home they cherish. The team installed interior and exterior handrails, new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and sealed the attic hatch to improve the home's energy efficiency. We were honored to welcome Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn (pictured above left) to see the project firsthand and meet a few of the volunteers who make RT Express possible.

We are grateful for Fairfax County's investment in our work, which helps advance the County's SHAPE the Future of Aging goals by enabling older adults to age in place. Thanks to that partnership—and the dedication of our volunteers—every public dollar is amplified through thousands of hours of donated labor and lasting improvements that strengthen our community. Click here to read Supervisor Alcorn's account of his visit.

When a 93-year-old stroke survivor moved in with her daughter, something as routine as taking a shower became a major challenge. Without an accessible bathroom, the family was forced to rent hotel rooms several times a month so she could bathe safely.

Then Rebuilding Together-AFF stepped in. With ingenuity, skilled volunteers, and two days of hard work, the team transformed the family's bathroom into a safe, accessible space that restored dignity, reduced the risk of falls, and eliminated an ongoing financial burden.

Read the full story on our blog to learn how one custom solution changed life for three generations—and meet Justin Tirelli - the volunteer whose expertise made it possible.

After helping build some of the Washington region's most recognizable landmarks—including CityCenterDC, the Georgia Ave.-Petworth Metro Station, and numerous buildings in Crystal City—retired construction manager and civil engineer Gordon Meuse is now using his decades of expertise to help neighbors stay safe in the homes they love.

As a Rebuilding Together Express team leader, Gordon leads volunteers on home repair projects that improve safety, accessibility, and quality of life for older adults, families, and people with disabilities. His remarkable journey—from growing up in an Air Force family and serving in the Peace Corps to managing major construction projects and earning recognition for community service—reflects a lifelong commitment to building stronger communities, one project at a time.

Read Gordon's profile on our blog.

Pella Mid-Atlantic's
Grille & Chill Supports RT-AFF

For the third consecutive year, Pella Mid-Atlantic welcomed clients, partners, and friends to its annual Grille & Chill summer networking event in support of our programs.

The event—whose name playfully nods to both architectural window grilles and cookout fare—featured great food, refreshments, and raffle baskets donated by local businesses, all benefiting RT-AFF's mission.

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"We truly appreciate everything you and your team do for the community," said Brigid Murphy of Pella Mid-Atlantic. "It's always an honor to support organizations that make such a positive impact, and we're grateful to be a small part of it."

We are grateful to Pella Mid-Atlantic for their continued partnership and commitment to helping our neighbors live safely at home. 

Keller Williams RED Day
Brings New Life to CRi Homes

As part of Keller Williams' annual RED (Renew, Energize, Donate) Day, volunteers partnered with us to complete improvement projects at two CRi group homes. Stepping away from their daily business responsibilities, the teams tackled interior painting, refreshed a vegetable garden, and completed other projects that created safer, more welcoming spaces for residents.

CRi staff shared that the fresh paint has brought a sense of serenity to both homes, and residents and staff alike are excited to enjoy working in the rejuvenated vegetable garden. Keller Williams day of service is a wonderful example of how dedicated community partners help create healthier, happier homes for our neighbors.

Visit our Flickr for more KW Red Day photos.

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