Rebuilding Together Bergen County

On Friday, December 7, Park Ridge Rotarians welcomed as their guest speaker Ms. Lynn Buckingham, Community Outreach Coordinator for Rebuilding Together Bergen County. In her talk, Ms. Buckingham described the mission of the organization and its most recent activities.

Rebuilding Together is a national non-profit with over 200 affiliates, four of which are in New Jersey. Nationally, the organization seeks to assist low-income homeowners by making home modifications and repairs at no cost to those in need. Locally, over 400 volunteers worked on projects this past year that assisted three non-profit facilities and 18 individuals. Since becoming a Rebuilding Together affiliate in 1998, two hundred fifteen projects in forty-five Bergen County towns have been completed. The group's signature event, National Rebuilding Day, occurs on the last Saturday of April. On National Rebuilding Day, volunteers join local affiliate leaders to repair and restore houses and nonprofit facilities, revitalizing entire communities and making a lasting impression on the families who are served.

The devastation brought about by Superstorm Sandy made the mission of Rebuilding Together especially apropos this year. Volunteers including employees of local and national corporate sponsors, members of faith-based or civic groups and organizations, as well as individuals from the community are encouraged to become involved. If you are skilled, semi-skilled, or interested in being a general volunteer please fill out a Volunteer Registration Form on the RTBC website (http://www.rebuildingtogetherbergen.org) and be as specific as possible regarding your skills and interests. Your service is sure to be appreciated.