Volunteers perform needed home repairs

By Glenda C. Booth

Awad Tanios, a double amputee, did not have an accessible bathroom or shower and could not get to the second floor of his townhouse in Montgomery Village, Maryland, so he slept in his living room.

Now, thanks to a nonprofit, Tanios has a customized chair lift to bring him to his second-floor bathroom, where he can access a new shower with his wheelchair.

A Maryland retiree was living alone in an unheated house without a functional kitchen. He had to prepare meals with a toaster oven or microwave and walk to the second floor for water. Now he has heat as well as a full kitchen with new flooring, drywall and appliances.

These men and many other homeowners can live more self-sufficiently in their houses thanks to Rebuilding Together, a nonprofit organization with 120 affiliates in

38 states, including Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. The organization provides free repairs for homeowners who meet income eligibility requirements.

Maury Peterson, executive director of Rebuilding Together Montgomery County, loves to share success stories like these. She describes how she has marshaled her staff and organized contractors and volunteers to make home improvements that “help preserve the current affordable housing stock, prevent displacement and homelessness, and stabilize entire communities,” she said.

Nationally, the group’s nearly 100,000 volunteers complete about 10,000 projects each year. The organization has pledged to make over a million repairs in more than 120 communities by 2030. Just over 200,000 have been completed to date.

Rebuilding Together’s services are free to eligible low-income homeowners, including people with disabilities, veterans and people over age 63 with limited incomes. In Montgomery County, 63% of its clients are older adults, and more than half are women.

Maggi Klefstad, director of development for Rebuilding Together’s D.C.Alexandria affiliate, explains the organization’s philosophy: “We believe housing is a human right, that everyone deserves access to healthy housing,” she said.

“Our organization changes lives and creates homes for those who do not have the financial resources to do it themselves.” Her affiliate undertakes around 300 projects every year.

How it works

First, only homeowners can qualify. Financial eligibility depends on one’s annual median income (AMI), typically at or