Volunteer Spotlight: Mariette Cole

Mariette Cole first volunteered with us in 2008, a week before her second hip replacement.  A month after that surgery, she arrived at the three-story Victorian house we were repairing on crutches and sat on a scaffold to paint at waist level.   She painted all summer, putting in more than 100 hours on that project.   She’s been an invaluable member of our team ever since.

Over the years, Mariette has worked on many things for us – everything from being a project leader to serving on committees to working in the office to finishing up projects.  She is our “go to” person for detail painting and Safe at Home program, which provides safety and accessibility modifications for low-income homeowners.  This includes training other volunteers on how to properly install grab bars, staining and sealing interior handrails, and organizing our Safe at Home kits.  She also currently handles a lot of the behind-the-scenes work for our projects, including putting together painting kits, wall repair kits, first aid kits, safety kits, tool kits and Safe at Home kits, all of which have made us more efficient.

Mariette is extremely energetic, passionate and determined.  She is frequently the first volunteer to show up and the last one to leave, and has tackled some very challenging projects for us over the years. Mariette is great with our homeowners and is extremely sensitive to their needs.  She goes out of her way to make sure they are comfortable and pleased with our services.  Through her own experiences, Mariette says she understands the challenges that many of our homeowners face in being able to live independently and safely in their homes.  She has said of volunteering, “I give back because there is so much need, and I am fortunate enough to be able to help.”

As of June 2013, Mariette has volunteered 1,945 hours of her time on 169 projects.  She’s an integral part of our team and we couldn’t do what we do without her.  THANK YOU Mariette for all you do to help us help homeowners and communities in need!

Teaming up with Honeywell and Cooper High School to Renovate Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery

On October 3rd, we partnered with 50 volunteers from Honeywell and Robbinsdale Cooper High School to renovate and make improvements to the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery.  Volunteers spent the day painting interior hallways and rooms, landscaping the grounds, building a deck and refurbishing some recreational equipment for children.

The Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery provides temporary shelter for thousands of children annually and provides crisis counseling and support programs for parents.   Executive Director Mary Pat Lee said, “Our mission at the crisis nursery is to create a safe and secure environment for the well-being of the children we serve. These improvements will help bring smiles to the faces of many children and families struggling to overcome challenges. We are so thankful to all of the volunteers from Honeywell and Cooper High School, along with Rebuilding Together Twin Cities, who came here today to give us a helping hand.”

This project marks the 28th collaboration between Rebuilding Together Twin Cities and Honeywell to help homeowners and communities in need throughout the Twin Cities.  It is also one of many that have been completed in an ongoing partnership between Honeywell Hometown Solutions and Cooper High School’s Cooper Cares program.

Thanks to everyone from Honeywell and Robbinsdale Cooper High School who came together to make to make this project possible!

Looking for Homeowners in Cities of St. Paul and Falcon Heights

We are currently looking for homeowners in need of repair services that live in the Como, Hamline-Midway or Frogtown Neighborhoods of St. Paul or the City of Falcon Heights.  Qualified applicants must own or be current with mortgage payments; be up-to-date with tax payments; reside in the home for which they are applying; and have homeowners insurance. The household income must be at or below 50% of area median income.  For a family of four, 50% of the area median income is currently $41,350. And, at least one resident in the home must be a senior, an individual living with a disability, a child under the age of 18, or an active or retired member of the armed services.

Interested homeowners can download an application online here or request an application by email (homeowners@rebuildingtogether-twincities.org) or phone (651-776-4273).