Councilman Parker C. Agelasto invites our community to see 36 homeowners receive free home repairs in Richmond’s Swansboro Neighborhood during Rebuilding Together of Richmond’s (National) Rebuilding Day on Saturday, April 25, 2015

RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL Richmond City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305 - Richmond, Virginia 23219 U.S.A. - www.council.richmondva.gov COUNCIL PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWS RELEASE IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED Wednesday, 15 April 2015 Councilman Parker C. Agelasto invites our community to see 36 homeowners receive free home repairs in Richmond’s Swansboro Neighborhood during Rebuilding Together of Richmond’s (National) Rebuilding Day on Saturday, April 25, 2015 More than 800 volunteers to fix homes owned by seniors and people with disabilities and work on other community projects WHAT (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) – The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman, Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District, invites the entire community to come out and see 36 homeowners in Richmond’s Swansboro Neighborhood, primarily in the Richmond Central 5th Voter District, receive free home repairs during Rebuilding Together of Richmond’s (National) Rebuilding Day on Saturday, April 25, 2015. The project includes homes owned by seniors with low-income and people with disabilities; and, other community projects. WHEN Saturday, April 25, 2015 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Media tours to be held between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. WHERE Headquarters Swansboro Baptist Church, 3801 Midlothian Turnpike Richmond, Virginia 23224 WHO The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District Ms. Mary Kay Huss, Executive Director Rebuilding Together of Richmond CONTACT For more information, please contact: The Honorable Parker C. Agelasto, Councilman Richmond City Council, Richmond Central 5th Voter District, at 804.646.6050 (tel), or parker.agelasto@richmondgov.com (email) Ms. Mary Kay Huss, Executive Director Rebuilding Together of Richmond, at 804.398.0212 (tel); or marykay@rebuildingtogetherrichmond.org (email) Background Rebuilding Together of Richmond is a local nonprofit agency that was established in 1992 and is part of the national Rebuilding Together organization. Repairs are made during special events throughout the year and culminate in a one-day event. Each year a different Richmond-area neighborhood is selected by Rebuilding Together of Richmond and hundreds of volunteers deploy to complete repairs at selected homes. Rebuilding Together of Richmond receives its supplies and funding from local businesses, individuals and entities. Produced and managed by Rebuilding Together of Richmond, the upcoming Richmond Rebuilding Day event is part of a national event and locally represents a year’s worth of dedication and hundreds of hours of planning, preparation and production. Work completed up to this point has included soliciting and reviewing applications; coordination of funding and supplies; months of skilled trades work done in preparation; and, coordination and management of hundreds of community volunteers. Examples of repairs and renovations include painting, heating/cooling systems, roofs, windows, handrails, porch repairs, lighting and removal of dangerous trip/ fall hazards. Homes to be repaired are chosen annually from applications submitted to Rebuilding Together of Richmond in the previous year. Criteria for assistance include: homeowners who are 55 years of age or older or have disabilities; have a household income 50 percent AMI or less; and, living in a property in a selected project area (assessed annually). In addition to its core home repair work, Rebuilding Together also rehabilitates community centers and conducts home modification and repair programs that focus on aging in place. Rebuilding Together has programs dedicated to energy efficiency, veteran’s housing, and disaster recovery and reconstruction. For more information, please visit the Rebuilding Together website, at www.rebuildingtogetherrichmond.org Rebuilding Together of Richmond key points • Rebuilding Together believes that "Community Starts at Home." • Rebuilding Together works to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing critical home repair, accessibility modifications and energy efficient upgrades to those in need at no cost to homeowners. • Part of a national effort, Rebuilding Together affiliates across the country will mobilize thousands of volunteers to rehabilitate and improve hundreds of homes during this month. Recipients of services include the elderly, persons with disabilities, military veterans and families in need. • It is estimated that Rebuilding Together turns every $1 donated into $4 in equivalent market value by leveraging donations of goods and services from corporate partners and skilled trade associations. • Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies found that the homeowners served by Rebuilding Together would not be able to do the critical home repairs they need without the help of local Rebuilding Together affiliates. • Studies show that homeowners often must choose to put aside basic home maintenance for basic necessities such as food and healthcare and that Rebuilding Together is often a last resort. • Rebuilding Together works to stabilize neighborhoods by focusing efforts on communities where foreclosures are highest. - E N D - ____________________________________________________ Steve Skinner Council Public Information Manager RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL CHIEF OF STAFF Richmond City Hall 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305 Richmond, Virginia 23219 U.S.A. 804.646.6052 (office) 804.335.4054 (mobile) 804.937.1386 (home/mobile) 804.646.5468 (fax) steven.skinner@richmondgov.com (email) www.council.richmondva.gov(website) www.facebook.com/RichmondCityCouncilVirginiaUSA ____________________________________________________ MISSION The mission of Richmond City Council is to represent citizens in creating and amending local laws, providing government policy and oversight, and approving the city budget. VISION Richmond City Council is committed to creating a vibrant community that is a great place to live, work, learn, play, visit and raise a family.