HOUSTON – A day after Ms. Margaret Torres turned 88, a group of volunteers from Reliant arrived with paintbrushes ready to help with the final touches on a three month long home revitalization project.
Coinciding with the kick off of Hispanic Heritage Month, Rebuilding Together Houston is once again providing free safety upgrades to families in Houston’s East End. They call the project “Rebuilding Juntos”
Ms. Torres lives with her daughter Sandra, 55, in the Lawndale/Wayside neighborhood of the East End. She has owned the home for more than 40 years, but it was built much earlier in 1939. After suffering rain and wind damage during Hurricane Harvey Ms. Torres needed repairs she was unable to afford. This is where Rebuilding Together Houston was able to step in and help.
For 40 years, Rebuilding Together Houston has been the only organization in our region to provide hundreds of families annually with home repairs. With more than 14,727 neighbors served, they have helped, on average, a family per day for the past 40 years. The work they do generally adds 20 years or more to the life of a home, making it safer and more resilient against disaster. The work improves the safety and structural integrity of homes that are passed from generation to generation, helping to retain the character of Houston neighborhoods by keeping families in communities that they helped to build.
Community volunteers and licensed contractors help repair the homes of low-income elderly, U.S. Military Veterans, and working families.
Reliant has been a community partner for the past 20 years and Reliant volunteers have helped revitalize 86 houses during this time.
For more information about Rebuilding Together Houston visit rebuildingtogetherhouston.org or @RebuildingTogetherHouston on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube; @RTHouston on Twitter.
Watch the video above to see the final sprays of paint on Ms. Torres home.