REBUILDING TOGETHER NAMES CHARLES SHIMANSKI PRESIDENT AND CEO

Washington, D.C. – July 30, 2013 – The Board of Directors of Rebuilding Together today announced that after an extensive nationwide search it has elected Charles S. Shimanski as president and chief executive officer (CEO). Shimanski will join Rebuilding Together on August 26, 2013.

As president and CEO, Shimanski will have responsibility for the overall management of Rebuilding Together, a national non-profit organization of nearly 200 affiliates and close to 200,000 volunteers that provide $160 million in critical repairs and renovations for low-income homeowners and communities annually. He will be responsible for developing, establishing and implementing strategic goals for the organization. Additionally, Shimanski will be the key liaison to the Rebuilding Together affiliates across the nation, working with them to develop resources and services to help them better serve their communities through safe and healthy housing. He also will serve as the primary spokesperson and national fundraiser for Rebuilding Together.

“Charley’s strong experience and knowledge of nonprofits, fundraising, and affiliate relationships will help guide Rebuilding Together to best serve its vision of a safe and healthy home for every person,” said Brad Segal, chairman of the Board of Rebuilding Together. “Charley has the leadership and relationship-building skills necessary to engage with stakeholders to best steward the needs of our affiliate network, and bring volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of low-income homeowners in need.”

Shimanski joins Rebuilding Together from the American Red Cross, where he has served since 2008. Shimanski worked at Red Cross national headquarters since 2010, most recently as a senior vice president of Development and as senior vice president of Disaster Services. Prior to that, he was CEO of the Red Cross regional office in Denver. During Shimanski’s tenure at the Red Cross, he created and implemented fundraising campaigns, led major disaster relief programs and worked closely with affiliate organizations.

“It will be an honor to lead Rebuilding Together and to deliver to our most vulnerable populations the foundation they deserve,” said Shimanski. “I look forward to engaging with Rebuilding Together’s stakeholders, especially the affiliate network, and to developing a plan for future growth.”
Previously, Shimanski was president and CEO of the Colorado Nonprofit Association from 2004-2008, and served as the executive director of The American Alpine Club in Colorado from 1993-2004.

“Building successful relationships with affiliate organizations is an essential talent of our new Rebuilding Together CEO,” said Kathy Greiner, Rebuilding Together national board member and National Affiliate Council chair. “We are confident in Charley’s ability to effectively engage with our network and we look forward to working with him.”

Shimanski is the author of several guidebooks on nonprofit excellence and individual giving. He has served on the National Advisory Council for the Department of Homeland Security/FEMA, and on the National Advisory Council for the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University. Shimanski received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin.

ABOUT REBUILDING TOGETHER 
Rebuilding Together is a Safe and Healthy Housing organization that believes Community Starts at Home. Our focus provides critical repairs, accessibility modifications and energy efficient upgrades to low-income homes and community centers at no cost to service recipients. Our impact extends beyond the individuals served to revitalize and stabilize vulnerable neighborhoods and communities across the country. Our close to 200 local affiliates complete nearly 10,000 rebuild projects a year thanks to the efforts of nearly 200,000 volunteers from corporate partners, skilled trades professionals and everyday good citizens. Join us — visit www.RebuildingTogether.org.

Over 1,000 volunteers to restore 26 homes in one day

Tuesday, April 16, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Margie Thirlby, (206) 992-5512
Website: www.rtseattle.org

Over 1,000 volunteers to restore 26 homes in one day

Rebuilding Together Seattle celebrates 23 years of free home repair services

Seattle, WA – On Saturday, April 27, from 8 AM to 4 PM, Rebuilding Together Seattle (www.rtseattle.org) will celebrate its major program event, Spring Rebuilding Day, where over 1,000 volunteers will restore 26 homes in one day at no cost to the individuals served, providing over $500,000 in market value home improvement projects.  With a vision of a safe and healthy home for every person, Rebuilding Together Seattle provides low income homeowners and nonprofit facilities with free critical repairs, modifications, and energy-efficient upgrades.

Spring Rebuilding Day (also known as National Rebuilding Day) is part of Rebuilding Together’s national effort to preserve affordable housing and revitalize neighborhoods through renovation services.  Approximately 200 Rebuilding Together affiliates nationwide will complete 3,000 projects on April 27^th with 50,000 volunteers.  Locally, Rebuilding Together Seattle has identified 26 homes in the greater Seattle area, where volunteers will perform a range of repairs to benefit the elderly, disabled, families with children, and veterans in need.  In addition to the 26 home restoration projects, volunteers will also clean up a neighborhood park (Beer Sheva) and a local school (St. Paul School) in South Seattle.  

Top sponsor group, Greenpoint Technologies, will repair the home of *Suzette*), a Hurricane Katrina evacuee caring for her 11 year old son in White Center (8629 16th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98106). Volunteers will repair the kitchen and replace appliances, paint the home and replace doors throughout, complete well-needed yard work and cleaning, and install a flashing doorbell and smoke alarms to assist Suzette, who is *deaf*.   Top sponsor group, Wells Fargo, will restore the home of Kim, a single mother with three young boys living in her home in Columbia City (5315 48th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118). Kim, whose family went without heat last winter, will receive new appliances, weatherized windows, much-needed bathroom repairs, and general cleanup and yard work.

More than 50 local organizations and companies are participating through event sponsorships, in-kind donations, and volunteer support, including other top event sponsors: Van Ness Feldman, Booz Allen Hamilton, Perkins Coie, Stratos, and The Center for Spiritual Living. 

To get more information on Spring Rebuilding Day (including additional sites and addresses) please call the Rebuilding Together Seattle office (Monday through Friday) at 206.682.1231. This event will offer exceptional visuals and homeowner interviews; all media are encouraged to attend.  Best visiting hours for most sites are from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM, and from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.  To discuss site locations, client stories, and media visits on April 27^th, please contact RTS Executive Director, Margie Thirlby, at 206.992.5512 (cell) or email mthirlby@rtseattle.org.

ABOUT REBUILDING TOGETHER SEATTLE
Rebuilding Together Seattle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to bring volunteers and communities together to help low income homeowners live in warmth, safety and independence.  Rebuilding Together Seattle was established in 1989 and is part of the national Rebuilding Together organization (www.rebuilding together.org) with just under 200 affiliates nationwide.  To learn more about Rebuilding Together Seattle, please visit www.rtseattle.org or call 206.682.1231.

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For immediate release: Volunteers to transform group home for adults living with disabilities in Shoreline

Volunteers to transform group home for adults living with disabilities in Shoreline

Shoreline, WA – On Saturday, April 6, from 8 am to 4 pm, Rebuilding Together Seattle (www.rtseattle.org) will partner with 30 volunteers from Safeway to clean, rebuild and repair a group home of residents living with physical and developmental disabilities in Shoreline. In an effort to help others live independently in warmth and safety, Rebuilding Together Seattle focuses on providing low-income homes and non-profit facilities with critical repairs, modifications and energy-efficient upgrades at no cost to the individuals served.

Safeway, the project Major Sponsor, will be helping repair a group home for four adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs).  The home is owned by Parkview Services (www.parkviewservices.org) and operated by Provail (www.provail.org). Most of the residents have lived at the home together for over 20 years and all of them, in addition to IDDS, are confined to wheelchairs. On April 6th, volunteers will be replacing the kitchen sink and refrigerator, updating the countertops, installing new light fixtures, building new shelving throughout the house, remodeling the bathroom flooring to accommodate wheelchair access, painting the interior, and completing much needed yard work.

For more information on the Safeway Rebuilding Day through Rebuilding Together Seattle, please call (206) 682-1231 or email coatey@rtseattle.org. Project address (4-6-13): 305 NW 199^th St, Shoreline, WA 98177.  This event will offer exceptional visuals and ample opportunity for interviews; all interested media are encouraged to contact RTS for more details.

About Project Sponsor: Safeway & The Safeway Foundation

Each April, through their Disability Awareness Month, The Safeway Foundation raises awareness of the needs of persons living with disabilities and raises money to support sponsored organizations, such as Rebuilding Together, through a campaign in their stores. Nearly 400 Safeway employee volunteers have spent over 3,000 hours rehabilitating 10 homes and nonprofit centers across the country, in association with Rebuilding Together. Each project is designed to highlight Safeway’s commitment to supporting people with disabilities and its awareness campaign, as well as the work of Rebuilding Together to impact the lives of people with disabilities.

About Rebuilding Together Seattle

Rebuilding Together Seattle was established in 1989 and is part of the national Rebuilding Together organization with approximately 200 affiliates in 50 states. We are a volunteer, charitable group that repairs homes and non-profit facilities at no cost to the individuals served.  RTS serves low-income homeowners, particularly those who are elderly, disabled, families with children, and veterans in need.   For more information, please visit www.rtseattle.org.

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Kickoff to Rebuild 2013!

Kickoff to Rebuild 2013: New Orleans On February 1, 2013, players from the New Orleans Saints, Detroits Lions, and Denver Broncos joined Carter Oosterhouse, Latin Pop singer Stefani Vara, SkillsUSA LA students, the Robert Royal Foundation, Saintsations, government officials, media, the O. Perry Walker HS Brass Band and football team, and teams of tailgate chefs and others to welcome and work beside over 300 volunteers during Rebuilding Together's 18th Annual Super Bowl Sanctioned rebuilding project, Kickoff to Rebuild! Together, we rebuilt 10 homes, installed a new Carter's Kids playground, and brought together a community. Thank you to our presenting sponsor Lowe's and to all of our many partners, team members, volunteers, homeowners and visitors for making this an incredible day of service and celebration. To learn more, click here!

Highlights: Hundreds of volunteers repaired 10 homes in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans. Algiers children can now play in a safe space thanks to the playground built by Carter's Kids and Lowe's. NFL players, elected officials, and local and national sponsors joined us to create safer and healthier homes. KTR 2013 featured our first annual Toolbelts+Tailgates competition. Tailgate chefs grilled up their best recipes for our volunteers in hopes of winning the Toolbelt+Tailgates Championship. Corporate Partners provided volunteers, donations, resources and more: Lowe's, CBRE, Kmart, HGTV, DIY, United Way's Hope for the Holidays. Community Partners included: Rebuilding Together New Orleans, Carter's Kids, The New Olreans Saints, Super Bowl XLVII New Orleans Host Committee, the City of New Orleans, the City Council of New Orleans, SkillsUSA Louisiana, NORDC, and Woolard Family Foundation. Special Guests Included: Robert Royal, NFL legend and founder of the Robert Royal Foundation Cameron Jordan, player for the New Orleans Saints Akiem Hicks, player for the New Orleans Saints Michael Higgins, player for the New Orleans Saints Junior Galette, player for the New Orleans Saints Isa Abdul-Quddus, player for the New Orleans Saints Chris Clark, player for the Denver Broncos Joique Bell, player for the Detroit Lions Carter Oosterhouse, Carter's Kids founder and HGTV star. Stefani Vara, pop star The Saintsations, New Orleans Saints Cheerleaders Joan Higginbotham and Elnora Swayne, Lowe's Kathleen Thompson, CBRE Steve Zimmer, United Way Jon Gant and Matt Ammon, HUD's Office of Healthy Homes. Larry Rabalais, SkillsUSA Lynda Wollard, Woolard Family Foundation New Orleans City Councilmembers Palmer and Clarke Joel Hamburg, TOY winner Mark and Theresa Clement, MyFixItUpLife Kickoff to Rebuild Media Coverage: WWLTV - NFL stars lead rebuilding effort in Algiers & 'Kickoff to Rebuild' target 10 homes and playground during Super Bowl NPR - Super Bowl Fans Leave Lasting Impressions The Times-Picayune - Rebuilding Together, Super Bowl Host Committee team up on NFL YET Center & Super Bowl 2013 rebuilds homes, revitalizes New Orleans neighborhood: Letter WWL AM - Todd and Deke speak with Robert Royal about the Super Bowl WDSU - Super Bowl service project fixes up homes on West Bank NewOrleansSaints.com - Six Saints pitch in for Rebuilding Together Event in Algiers Visit MyFixItUpLife to check out interviews with our sponsors Visit Our Photo Album and Highlights: Rebuilding Together's Facebook Page Rebuilding Together's Flickr Page

Rebuilding Together to partner with Crate and Barrel

Celebrate Rebuilding Together's New Partnership with Crate and Barrel

On December 7, join Crate & Barrel in celebrating their brand's 50th Anniversary and highlighting their partnership with Rebuilding Together in stores nationwide. Crate & Barrel staffers will be in bright green, co-branded t-shirts. The Rebuilding Together brand will be featured in the Crate & Barrel holiday catalog sent to four million people. They will donate $5 from every online and in-store purchase, up to $250,000, to support national rebuilding efforts. Affiliate leaders, staff members and volunteers are encouraged to visit your local Crate & Barrel store.  We encourage you to stop by, say hello and congratulate your local Crate & Barrel store manager on 50 years and thank them for their generous support of this new relationship. Let them know about your affiliate's impact in your community and wear your Rebuilding Together gear too!  Share your Crate & Barrel experience through social media. Take a picture of yourself in Crate & Barrel, friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, or simply post a status thanking them for their support. You can find your local Crate & Barrel here. If you have further questions please contact Becky Carter.

Rebuilding Together and Lowe’s Heroes to restore five homes, build new playground in South Beacon Hill

August 22, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Margie Thirlby (206.992.5512)

mthirlby@rtseattle.org

Rebuilding Together and Lowe’s Heroes to restore five homes, build new playground in South Beacon Hill

Seattle – August 16, 2012 – Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit that believes in a safe and healthy home for every person, is partnering with Lowe’s, Carter’s Kids, and Rebuilding Together Seattle August 28-29 to revitalize the South Beacon Hill neighborhood. 

This will be the third community revitalization project this year that Rebuilding Together, Lowe’s and Carter’s Kids have hosted across the country in an effort to promote and sustain affordable, safe housing and healthier communities for youth. Lowe’s and Rebuilding Together have four additional community revitalization projects planned through May 2013.

Through the support of Seattle Public Schools, the volunteers will also partner with Carter’s Kids, a non-profit started by Carter Oosterhouse of HGTV to build a brand new playground to benefit the pre-school children at Tiny Tots Development Center and the entire South Beacon Hill community.

More than 100 Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers from around the region will volunteer their time and skills during the two day event.  The critical repair work will benefit five local families and include replacing plumbing, roof work, repairing exterior and interior walls and updating utilities. All of the renovations will provide the families with a higher quality of life and will allow them to remain in their homes longer.  Lowe’s Heroes will also deliver weatherization kits to local area residents and provide their expertise on how to make simple updates at home that save money and energy. 

Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has donated more than $1.2 million so far this year to support community revitalization projects in low-income communities across the United States as part of their overall $2 million commitment towards Rebuilding Together’s mission.  Similar revitalization projects took place in Indianapolis and Philadelphia earlier this year.  Three more projects are scheduled for Charlotte, Phoenix and Minneapolis through early next year.

Media are invited to attend the event and interview volunteers, homeowners and school officials.

Key Events:

August 28 - 9 AM- 4:30 PM (work day)

August 29 - 9AM- Noon (finishing touches)

1 PM - Ribbon Cutting

Location:

Tiny Tots- Wing Luke Branch

3701 S. Kenyon St.

Seattle, WA 98118

To learn more about Rebuilding Together, its mission and work, visit www.RebuildingTogether.org.

About Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together believes that everyone deserves to live in a safe and healthy home. Our focus provides critical repairs, accessibility modifications and energy efficient upgrades to low-income homes and community centers at no cost to service recipients. Our impact extends beyond the individuals served to revitalize and stabilize vulnerable neighborhoods and communities across the country. Our 200 local affiliates complete 10,000 rebuild projects a year thanks to the efforts of nearly 200,000 volunteers from corporate partners, skilled trades professionals and everyday good citizens. Join us — visit www.RebuildingTogether.org.

About Lowe’s

Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. The company’s signature education grant program, Lowe’s Toolbox for Education^®, has donated nearly $5 million in grants to K-12 public schools every year since its inception in 2006. Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers support local community projects and our national nonprofit partners such as Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross. In 2010, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $30 million to support communities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.  To learn more, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility.

About Carter’s Kids

Founded by HGTV’s Carter Oosterhouse, Carter's Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and promoting awareness of fitness and self-esteem for America's youth. The purpose is to increase the activity level of kids by building and developing community parks and playgrounds in their neighborhoods. The kids then have the opportunity to take an active part in building up their community by using, sharing, and caring for these public spaces. At Nueva Esperanza, Carter's Kids has designed a unique play area that will help students improve their strength and cardiovascular fitness levels. www.carters‐kids.org

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