Silicon Valley is but one of the 4,000 communities participating in Rebuilding Together’s National Rebuilding Day. Every year, on the last Saturday in April, the nonprofit organizes 70,000 Mr. and Ms. Fix-It’s to go into neighborhoods and repair dilapidated structures. On April 24, 54 low-income homes and 26 community facilities in the Bay Area will get a much-needed facelift from Rebuilding Together Peninsula (RTP), their local chapter.
In 2010, RTP is partnering with area corporations like VMware and Yahoo! Employee Foundation (YEF). VMware, a business cloud computing firm, will focus on an East Palo Alto residence that houses a family of four. They’ve fallen on hard times recently as a result of illness and the structure along with them. This Saturday, VMware’s 100 volunteers will repair the electrical, plumbing and heating systems; install new lighting; replace broken windows; put in new countertops; re-shingle the roof and paint the entire home inside and out. They have already raised an additional $2,000 to help cover the cost of these improvements and are still collecting donations.
YEF will focus on the 80-year-old Sunnyvale home (pictured above and at left with YEP volunteers) of a 95-year-old widow. Sixty-five Yahoo! employees will install a new back door and overhang, replace a fence, rip down a dangerous shed, plant flowers and paint the entire exterior of the home. The socially responsible arm of the Internet giant has gathered a $100 donation from one neighbor for the garden and they continue to reach out for more support.
If you live in the Bay Area and would like to help in a RTP project, please visit their website.
Photos by sarandipitous via Flickr.