Rebuild Upstate honored for community work by Reframe Association
December 14, 2016
Reframe Association, which is a network of volunteer-based home repair and home rehab organizations throughout the country, recently honored Rebuild Upstate with a Best Practices Award for Community Partnerships.
The Community Partnership Award is for agencies that work with other nonprofit organizations and community stakeholders are vital to holistic community development. According to the nomination submitted for the agency:
“Rebuild Upstate partners with other nonprofits, churches, and businesses in a number of ways. We want to specifically highlight that this year, the City of Greenville, contracted with Rebuild Upstate to manage its home repair/home rehab program. Rebuild Upstate also partners with three area agencies on aging to provide minor home repairs for seniors, the state Housing Trust Fund to provide larger repairs for residents, and the Greenville County Redevelopment Authority to provide home rehabilitation to county residents. They have also launched a new initiative to provide financial literacy counseling and education to low-income families in order to build more financial independence and promote sustainable home ownership. This initiative would not be possible without its collaboration with CommunityWorks Carolina, a well-recognized community development corporation.
Rebuild Upstate embraces the philosophy that all nonprofits serving their community are ultimately, in the business of improving the lives of people who live in our community. They believe that working together and being eager to engage in conversation is the only way to gain community-wide change. They facilitate conversations between other organizations, actively reach out to collaborative partners, and (even as a small organization) advocate for partnerships throughout the entire nonprofit community.”
Rebuild Upstate helps low-income homeowners with home repairs and accessibility improvements to create safe, livable housing in existing homes and neighborhoods. Typically homeowners fall into one of three segments: low-income families with children in the home, seniors age 60 and older, and people with disabilities.
The non-profit agency specializes in home repairs and accessibility improvements. Home repairs can range from small plumbing fixes to roof and floor replacements. Accessibility improvements range from installing grab bars and railings for vulnerable populations to building wheel chair ramps for those with disabilities.
“To be honored for our work by our peers for the partnerships we have formed is great,” said Chris Manley, Rebuild Upstate’s executive director. “It is a core principle behind our organization and enables us to carry-out our mission of improving the homes of people throughout the Upstate.”
About Rebuild Upstate
Rebuild Upstate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Upstate South Carolina low-income homeowners with home repairs and accessibility improvements to create safe, livable housing in existing homes and neighborhoods. Learn more at www.rebuildupstate.org.
