Spring Rebuilding Day 2014: Official T-Shirt Color Voting Contest!

It's that time of year again! Rebuilding Together Seattle is busy making preparations for its 24th Annual Spring Rebuilding Day, on our way to 25 years of serving the greater Seattle area!  Planning is already underway for 26 projects happening on Saturday, April 26th.

One part of planning for Spring Rebuilding Day that we always look forward to is choosing the color for our official volunteer t-shirt! Every year, we have asked our volunteers to vote for their favorite color in a fun contest to choose the color of the official Spring Rebuilding Day t-shirt. Last year, you choose a beautiful teal color and we are counting on you again to choose the best volunteer t-shirt color!

 

Last year's t-shirt, shown on a Spring Rebuilding Day 2013 Program Recipient.

This year, we have a great selection for you to choose from! The design will remain the same, but the color is up to you. This year's nominees are:

Coral Silk

Light Pink

Yellow Hazel

Ash Grey

Mint Green

Sky

 

Vote now! Click here to be taken to the online survey to cast your vote. All votes must be in by Monday, March 31 at 10am!

Questions? Email pschultz@rtseattle.org. Happy Voting!

Sponsor the Inaugural Safe and Healthy Homes Breakfast on May 15th!

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The Safe and Healthy Homes Breakfast is Rebuilding Together Seattle’s newest fundraising event that benefits low income homeowners in need of critical home repairs.  The event consists of a brief presentation with a  keynote speaker and a testimonial from a Program Recipient.  At the end of the program, attendees are asked to make a financial contribution (suggested donation of $150.00) to support the mission of Rebuilding Together Seattle.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

The Presenting Sponsor is an underwriting opportunity to demonstrate major support for the mission of Rebuilding Together Seattle at the breakfast.  Please contact our office to learn more about Presenting Sponsorship opportunity this year: mthirlby@rtseattle.org or (206) 682-1231.

GOLD SPONSOR - $10,000

—  Prominent placement of logo and name in all marketing materials, including event *invitation*, signage, table cards, the RTS newsletter, blog, and Facebook Page

—  Acknowledgement as a Gold Sponsor in printed program and during live program

—  1-2 Reserved table(s) at the event (optional)

SILVER SPONSOR - $5,000

—  Logo included in  event invitation, signage,  table cards, the RTS newsletter, blog, and Facebook page

—  Acknowledgement as a Silver Sponsor in printed program and during live program

—  Reserved table at the event (optional)

BRONZE SPONSOR - $2,500

—  Name recognition in event invitation, table cards, RTS newsletter, blog, and RTS Facebook Page

—  Acknowledgement as a Bronze Sponsor in our printed program

—  Reserved table at the event (optional)

TABLE SPONSOR - $1,500

·         Name recognition on table cards, RTS newsletter, and blog

·         Acknowledgement as Table Sponsor in printed program

·         Reserved table at the event (optional)

*Invitation benefits depend on the date that sponsors are confirmed. 

Volunteers of the Month: Tim MacBean and Andrew Spottswood

Tim, far left, and Andrew, 3rd from the right.

Rebuilding Together Seattle is happy to recognize Tim MacBean and Andrew Spottswood as our Volunteers of the Month for February! Tim and Andrew led a small team of volunteers to help an elderly woman in living alone in the Interbay neighborhood. The volunteers installed a small ramp at the front door, changed light bulbs and installed smoke detectors throughout the home, painted a bedroom and many other small fixes throughout the home. This was the first time Andrew or Tim has led a project for Rebuilding Together Seattle and we were blown away by their leadership and dedication! Below, you can read what  Tim and Andrew had to say about their experience volunteering with Rebuilding Together Seattle.


How did you first get involved with Rebuilding Together Seattle?

TM: I met another RTS volunteer, Nathan Wright, through our mutual friend Andrew Spottswood, who I partnered with on our February event. I had been trying to find a volunteer opportunity that I could invite my friends and co-workers to that would be fun and rewarding and Nathan thought RTS would be a good fit – and it was! Margie Thirlby graciously came out to Microsoft during the annual Giving Campaign and did a great presentation for our team which got people excited about signing up.

AS: Nathan Wright has done several projects with RTS and introduced myself and Tim to his contacts. We were looking for a way to connect both goals for our church to get out and serve those in our community while bonding with our Co workers for a good cause.


What do you enjoy most about volunteering with RTS?

TM: One of the principles I try to stick to when giving is making sure that I’m not just giving a handout, or where I can’t directly see where my contribution is going. With RTS I could directly see the impact of the money and volunteer effort, plus you get to see the direct impact on the homeowner immediately. It’s pretty rare for all of those aspects to come together and it makes volunteering even more rewarding. All of the people I have worked with at RTS have been exceptional and professional which really makes it easy to plan an event.

AS: The needs are real and we made a true quality of life impact on Patricia. Also bonding with coworkers


What about the RTS mission are you most drawn to?

TM: was just really drawn to the vision of providing a safe and healthy home. When you find a group of passionate people with the right skills it really is so easy to make a major positive change in someone’s life with not that much money or effort. As I mentioned before being able to see it come together along with the end result is just the icing on the cake.

AS: RTS obviously spends a lot of time vetting out the most need and makes it easy for a team that is motivated to make significant change in that persons life.


What are you doing when you aren’t volunteering with Rebuilding Together Seattle?

TM: My job at Microsoft keeps me very busy of course so it is a challenge to balance work with doing what I really enjoy, which is spending time with my wife and 2 children. As a family we like to spend time together outside when we can – riding bikes, hiking, hanging out near the water…. I’m also an avid runner and I really enjoy racing so I try to run anywhere from 5K to marathon several times a year. I also serve regularly at my church in an administrative capacity, in the children’s ministry, and with other charities.

AS: I am a consultant for an IT firm that specializes in health care and CPA firms. I am a husband, dad of 3 (almost 4) and leader in my church, LifePoint Lynnwood.

Tim hard at work!

 

Andrew (left) and volunteers showing their RTS spirit!

Thank you, Tim and Andrew, for your hard work supporting the Rebuilding Together Seattle mission. You are both very special volunteers!

Volunteer of the Month: Erick Cruz!

Rebuilding Together Seattle congratulates Erick Cruz (above, left) on being Volunteer of the Month! Erick has been a long time supporter of RTS and has just completed leading one of two recent projects with Turner Construction. On January 29th, over 50 members of the Turner staff set aside time from their annual Officer's meeting to rehabilitate two Central District homes with Rebuilding Together Seattle. Erick, along with a dedicated team of Turner Seattle employees, spent a great deal of January planning the project and completing prep work to make for a successful day. Here is what Erick has to say about his experiences with Rebuilding Together Seattle:

How did you first get involved with Rebuilding Together Seattle?

I got involved as a volunteer 3 years ago, when Dan Gemme (Turner Seattle GM), who is on the RTS board, relocated from our Portland office. He is a strong supporter of RTS and kick started our involvement with the organization and community. 

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with RTS?

My favorite part of volunteering with RTS, is the interaction with the homeowners. Most notably, my favorite part is their reaction the day of the event. They truly appreciate all the hard work and are very touched at the care and thought put into the repairs of their homes.

What about the RTS mission are you most drawn to?

What draws me most to the RTS mission, is being able to give back to the community iwth the skills that I have been fortunate to acquire over the years. Many of these folkds are down on their luck and I realize the importance of lending a helping hand. I consider myself lucky in that as many of us and our families are a stone's throw away from needing this sort of help too.

What are you doing when you aren't volunteering with Rebuilding Together Seattle?

The question here is, what am I not doing? Not sleeping actually. My wife and I recently were blessed with our first son, who is now almost 4 months old. Coincidentally, I also started the evening MBA program at UW, which keeps me super busy. Oh and I also work full time as an engineer at Turner Construction :)

Thank you Erick and the Turner Team!

Announcing the First 14 Hearts Rebuilding Homes Donors!

Rebuilding Together Seattle sends a big "thank you" to the FIRST 14 donors for this year's Hearts Rebuilding Homes Valentine's Day Campaign. These 14 people are giving the gift of a warm and safe home to families in need this Valentine's Day in honor of their loved ones!

To join these supporters, visit http://rtseattle.org/hearts_rebuilding_homes.php.

First 14 Donors

David Kimelman 

Pam Madden 

Paige Schultz 

Margie Thirlby 

Mark Hall 

Jenny Whelan 

Kristen Thyng 

May Saetern 

Monica Berger 

Kari Koos 

John Lee 

Thomas Herche 

Kara Eberle 

Mary Weeks 

There are 10 more days left to participate in this year's Hearts Rebuilding Homes online campaign. Give the gift of a warm and safe home to a homeowner in need this Valentine's Day!

Announcing the 2014 Hearts Rebuilding Homes Campaign!

Give the gift of a warm and safe home!

Looking for a creative and meaningful Valentine's Day gift idea this year? Between February 1st and February 14th, we will be asking our supporters to give the gift of a warm and safe home to a homeowner in need by making a donation to our organization in honor of their loved ones through our 4th annual Hearts Rebuilding Homes Valentine's Day campaign!

Thanks to the generosity of our 2013 Hearts Rebuilding Homes donors, we were able to help four families in need. This year we hope to raise at least $5,000 to help four deserving homeowners on our waiting list (see their stories below). We are excited to celebrate the fourth year of our beloved Valentine's Day campaign, starting on Friday, February 1st. We hope you will consider joining us!

If you would like to support this fun campaign, you will have fourteen days to make a donation online (or by mail) to Rebuilding Together Seattle in honor of your Valentine. After receiving confirmation of your donation, we will mail a special card to your Valentine, notifying them of your donation. Later in the year, we will send an email greeting to all donors and card recipients to let them know about the families we were able to help with your support. 

Please make your donation by February 11 to ensure that your Valentine gets their card in time!

Here are four families on our waiting list who need your support this Valentine's Day:

Ernesto and Perpetua live in Rainier Valley with their teenage son and adult daughter, who has developmental disabilities. Perpetua works part-time work as a nurse and Ernesto is wheelchair bound due to post-polio effects. The family needs a ramp built off their porch so Ernesto can safely exit his home, new grab bars installed and other accessibility improvements around the home. 

Kitisha is the single mother of two and temporary guardian of her nephew, living in Renton. Her family needs new windows in the kids’ rooms, flooring throughout the home, exterior siding replaced, new back stairs, and plumbing work to allow the family to use both bathrooms again. 

Leroy is a 74 year old Army veteran who lives alone in Wallingford. He has limited mobility and is on an oxygen tank due to his COPD. Leroy needs his ramp rebuilt, a couple windows repaired, his kitchen ceiling patched, and lots of clean-up and repair of his bedrooms which were damaged by harmful tenants.

Patricia and Bruce, both in their early 80s, have lived in their Lynwood home for nearly 30 years. Recently, Patricia and Bruce have been dealing with health issues that make it difficult for them to get around their home. They need a wheelchair ramp, grab bars in the bathroom and secure handrails down the stairs, as well as some weatherization repairs to keep them warm through the winter.

Please visit http://rtseattle.org/hearts_rebuilding_homes.php or email Paige Schultz at pschultz@rtseattle.org to learn more about Hearts Rebuilding Homes.

Give the gift of a warm and safe home to a homeowner in need this Valentine's Day!

Volunteer of the Month: Anne Timmermans!

Rebuilding Together Seattle is so happy to recognize Anne Timmermans (above, left) as our Volunteer of the Month! Anne has been a volunteer with Rebuilding Together for nearly 5 years and currently serves on the leadership board for the Young Professionals Society. Anne has been instrumental in the planning for the first ever YPS fundraiser, Sip & Support, on January 25. She has also participated in or lead numerous volunteer projects over the years with the Young Professionals Society. Here is what Anne had to say about this honor:

How did you first get involved with Rebuilding Together Seattle?

Gayle Roberts (Current RTS Board Member) recruited me back in 2009 or 10 as a grad student at UW in the CM department for an RTS project at a high school with the Seattle Sounders, the school’s kids and staff. Anne Quigg, a former RTS Board Member, and I planned the landscaping portion of the day, and we had a great time .

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with RTS?

Working with the homeowners to identify what they really need, and addressing issues with their homes that really impact their daily routines. I try to make sure we address how they get around their homes safely first before we advance with advance with any other planning.

What about the RTS mission are you most drawn to?

I think a lot of the times, we get so busy with our own lives and routines, that we forget a lot of people don’t live as nicely as we do. And, sometimes people just don’t have the basics of warmth, safety, and comfort. A lot of the projects I’ve helped on have made simple, effective changes that have had huge impacts on the homeowner’s lives.

Can you share about a particular project or homeowner that was especially meaningful to you?

The last YPS project in August happened to end up being my favorite homeowner to date, Alton Moton. Matt Macomber and I spent a lot of time doing site visits and pre-work at his house to make sure the YPS day went smoothly. He was just a gem and so nice to talk with whenever we stopped by. I could tell all of the YPS volunteers and our efforts really changed his life.

What are you doing when you aren’t volunteering with Rebuilding Together Seattle?

I just started a new job at Jacobs Engineering a few months back and that keeps me insanely busy during the work week. I am on the Construction Management Board of Directors as the Secretary for the Pacific NW, and anything after that goes spending anything else with friends and family and sometimes sleep.

Thank you, Anne, for all your hard work being an advocate for Rebuilding Together Seattle. Meet Anne and the other YPS leaders at Sip & Support on January 25 at Wine World in the U District from 6pm to 9pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: http://sipandsupport2014.eventbee.com