Latest news with #RebuildingTogether
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Consider These Small Acts Of Environmental Social Impact
At this time of government budget cuts and policy changes and elevated international tensions, it's an understatement to say this is a fraught and confusing time for progressive to centrist individuals who want to contribute to creating a more just and environmentally-sound society. Living your values through the ways in which you consume is not THE answer, but can make small but important differences especially on the environmental side of the ledger. Back in 2011 the USPS encouraged American's to "Go Green" through small acts of home improvement ... More like adding insulation. With that in mind, I reached out to a number of social impact leaders for their advice on small steps they believe are meaningful. 'Small steps add up and matter,' said Maureen Carlson of Rebuilding Together, a national non-profit organization focused on repairing homes and making modifications to improve safety and accessibility for low-income homeowners. Rebuilding Together CEO Maureen Carlson leads her organization in rehabilitating homes and ... More encourages everyone to make their residences more energy efficient. 'Something as simple as installing weather stripping or LED lightbulbs can make a difference,' Carlson continued. 'This does not mean that systemic change is not necessary, it just means that if we wait for global systemic change to be mandated among different countries and their leadership, we will have wasted the opportunity to create small changes in our communities that together can make a big difference against the global critical need.' Phil Haid, CEO of the social impact agency Public, was one of several people who advised focusing on shopping one's environmental values. A study released earlier this year by Public suggests ways to move people to buy from more ... More sustainable brands. Haid rejected the argument that such consumption-based activity was too small or passive to count. 'If every person made the intentional choice to be a conscious consumer (which currently sits at 38%) the impact would be massive,' he said. 'We could phase out internal combustion cars. Move to plant based dairy. Eliminate toxins from our cleaning supplies. And substantially reduce the 85% of textiles from fast fashion that end up in landfills. Individual conscious choice is systemic change when the public is mobilized at scale.' Buying from brands that invest in nature restoration is powerful, said David Luba, co-founder of tentree, an apparel company that combines clothing sales with a commitment to environmental sustainability by planting trees for every item purchased. To really make an impact, however, consumers should share what they're doing with family and friends, he emphasized. 'Whether it's at a dinner table, workplace, or online, those climate celebrations build awareness and inspire collective action. Systemic change is essential, but it often starts with everyday choices that challenge the status quo.' The dining table is an especially important nexus of values and consumption, said Bill DiMento, Vice President, Corporate Sustainability & Government Affairs, High Liner Foods. Bill DiMento oversees sustainability at High Liner Foods. An smart issue to focus on: reducing household food waste, DiMento said. 'Be planful when purchasing groceries and consider opting for frozen food items, which offer more flexibility and a longer shelf life, when possible,' he stressed. 'Remember, wasted food means wasted water, energy, and money, and nearly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food that ends up in landfills!' How we go out to get our groceries or otherwise get around is another area of important choice, according to Anisa Kamadoli Costa, chief sustainability officer of Rivian, the electric vehicle manufacturer. 'Driving an EV is one of the most effective and win-win actions we can take as consumers,' said Kamadoli Costa. 'After a home, buying a car is the largest purchase most of us will make, and study after study shows that EVs have lower lifetime emissions than comparable internal combustion engine vehicles.' Whatever you decide to do on this front, let companies know that you are voting with your dollars, advised Deanna Bratter, Chief Sustainability Officer at Crocs. 'Brands, especially the good ones, listen and respond to consumer needs and interests,' Bratter explained. 'The more consumers ask for, and even demand, meaningful action from businesses - from sustainable materials and packaging to reducing carbon - the greater the likelihood those brands will invest in the transformation required to deliver it.'
CBS News
08-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
High school students build tiny homes to help solve Marin County's housing crisis
As housing prices continue to soar across the Bay Area, more residents are turning to accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as a potential solution to the ongoing housing shortage. On Saturday afternoon, a nonprofit organization teamed up with San Rafael High School to showcase two student-built ADUs, constructed from the ground up over the course of the academic year. "The square footage is 160, it's 8 feet by 20 feet," said San Rafael High School senior Joe Miller as he pointed to one of the compact homes. The completed units will soon be placed in Novato, where they'll provide permanent housing for two low-income families. Miller is one of 24 students who contributed to the year-long construction project, learning trade skills alongside six adult apprentices known as "learning leaders." Working under the guidance of the Big Skills Program—run by the nonprofit Rebuilding Together East Bay Network—the students gained hands-on experience in everything from framing to finish work. "This is the kitchen area, dining room as well. We have four pull-out cabinets, a couple of lower ones with some shelves on the bottom as well. And then underneath the sink, you have more storage for cleaning supplies," said Miller, giving a tour of the space. Every inch of the compact units is used with intention. The homes are fully equipped with heating, cooling, and convertible furniture to maximize functionality. "This comes up and then you've got this little stand right here. And then that comes up and then you pull out these little chairs and you can have yourself a nice dinner table," Miller added, demonstrating a fold-out dining space. The construction took the entire school year, from August to May, to complete. "We are so excited to be working in partnership with the Marin Housing Authority to place these units here in the backyards of low-income homeowners right here in Marin," said Program Director Sean Ticknor. Ticknor, who leads the Big Skills Program, emphasized the dual purpose of the initiative: giving students practical trade education while contributing to local affordable housing efforts. "This is not the solution, but it's part of the solution. This provides infill affordable housing in the existing space that we have," Ticknor explained. Each ADU costs about $65,000 in labor and materials, with an additional $40,000 to $60,000 required to place the unit on its permanent foundation and connect utilities, according to Ticknor. "Together, we built something that's going to help someone and probably change someone's life. I think everyone involved is going to walk away feeling a lot better," said learning leader Brandon Werly. For students like San Rafael High senior Wyld Owyeung, the program is not only a class, but preparation for future life skills. "I might own a property in the future. It's good to know what to expect in a house," said Owyeung, who spent two years in the Big Skills Program. Miller described the course as his favorite class in high school, largely because of the impact it will have. "You can't get that [sense of reward] in any other class in high school. That feeling you get when you see it being delivered. It's going to something better than yourself, going to someone in need. And it's just a great feeling to help out people," said Miller. He heads to college in the fall and hopes to one day run his own construction company.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Local nonprofit rebuilds two homes during Military Appreciation Month
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A local nonprofit is teaming up with Lockheed Martin to repair two veteran homes during Military Appreciation Month. Local nonprofit Rebuilding Together Spartanburg has joined forces with Lockheed Martin to provide repairs and modifications for two homes on the same day. Linda, the surviving spouse of an army veteran, had lived in her home for 25 years, and struggles to navigate the house due to a damaged hip. Her home was given a new access ramp, replaced flooring to remove tripping hazards, and repaired the washer and dryer. Charles is an army veteran who has lived in his home along with his wife Loris for many years, and suffer from knee and leg issues that make living in their home difficult. Their home was provided an accessible ramp, walk-in shower, and the house gutters and landscaping were cleaned and updated. The nonprofit stated that the repairs come at no cost for the home owners. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 1.2 million veterans live in poverty and are unable to afford essential home repairs or modifications. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
27-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
Rebuilding Together, Silicon Valley volunteers repair San Jose woman's home
Weekends are usually a time for rest and relaxation. But on Saturday in San Jose, and around the country, an army of volunteers put their cardiac muscles to work helping seniors stay in their homes. "You know, it's a Saturday. Everybody could be doing something else, you know, their day off of work. But they're here, they're here putting their time into her home," said Larraine Fernandez, daughter of 82-year-old Claudia Chavarria. Chavarria has lived in the house on Clayton Road in San Jose for 55 years, and for a long time, her husband Jimmy worried about the condition of the roof. So, he signed the couple up for a program called "Rebuilding Together, Silicon Valley" which helps repair the homes of low-income seniors. "And we've been here since, and we never roofed the house," said Claudia. "So, this roof had 20 holes in it!" "And he knew we'd applied for the program," said Fernandez. "So, he's been waiting patiently, and he would say, 'Are they going to come replace my roof? Are they going to replace my roof?' And we said, you just have to be patient. And he passed away on November 22, and right after that we got the call that they're going to come replace the roof. She (Claudia) was so excited, and I said, well, he's seeing everything happening now." Now, the house has a brand-new roof along with most of the plumbing fixtures inside. And on Saturday, a group of volunteers from the tech company, Applied Materials, were swarming the house, repairing window screens, planting new landscaping, and most importantly of all, giving the entire exterior a fresh new coat of paint. "My job as house captain is to get those volunteers together, and it's always hard beforehand," said Terry Kiesic. "Everyone says, 'Oh, they'd love to help but then everyone's got their lives.' But once you get through all that and get a solid 20-30 people that just show up here physically, it just, everyone leaves here with a good feeling that they did something good for their neighborhood." Rebuilding Together has 114 chapters around the country, and most of them were out working on this 34th annual National Rebuilding Day. Sixteen homes in the South Bay were getting makeovers, each one adopted by a different service group or company that provides both the funding and volunteer workforce to get the job done. The program's executive director, Deanne Everton, said the homeowners selected are at an age and income level that would prevent them from being able to care for their home's upkeep. "We really work to help people stay in their homes," Everton said. "We want to keep their homes safe and healthy and allow people to age in their homes safely and thrive, so that they're not displaced because they can't keep it maintained." That sounded good to Mark Hill, who was painting a wall on side of the house. "Fantastic," he said. "I mean, she's not going to have to worry about maintenance on her place for quite a while, and it's going to take a load off of her mind as far as worrying about her house." But worrying about the house, and the roof, was Jimmy's job. And now, Chavarria knows he can rest easy, thanks to the kindness of strangers.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rebuilding Together Day brings out volunteers to help repair homes
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Volunteers and a non-profit are helping to repair eight homes as part of 'Rebuilding Together Day.' Rebuilding Together is dedicated to helping low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners fix up their homes. From painting and carpentry to laying bricks, there were plenty of tasks for the volunteers. It involved volunteer work from different businesses like Caterpillar and River City Construction. Rebuilding Together Peoria, a local chapter of a national nonprofit volunteer organization, organizes the event. Cade Lansford has volunteered for the last three years. He said the most rewarding part is seeing the reaction from the homeowner. 'I think that's the most rewarding part, seeing that appreciation from the homeowner and walking through when everything's done and seeing the hard work that the team has done. It feels good,' said Lansford. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
