Neighborhood

Years in her home:  4

Volunteer Team:  Mascaro

Sponsor:  Mascaro

Sandra Blackburn purchased her 1900 Northside row-house a little over four years ago hoping it would be a safe and comfortable home for her to spend the rest of her life. Unfortunately, like many low-income residents of Pittsburgh, the home she can afford hardly meets her growing needs.

Her front steps which are open to the hallway had now railing, posing a serious falling risk. The plaster in the living room was buckling and cracking from more than 100 years of settling, and her lights and outlets were hardly reliable due to her old fuse box.

When Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh was finished making the improvements to her home, Ms. Blackburn, who lives on less than $700 a month, was so thrilled that she purchased a cake to thank the volunteers!

Repairs Completed for Ms. Blackburn:

• Replaced fuse box with updated electrical service panel
• Installed handrail on the stairs
• Patched the living room walls
• Landscaped the front yard, including a small retaining wall
• Fresh paint throughout

Neighborhood

Years in her home:  29

Volunteer Team:  FedEX Ground

Sponsor:  Pittsburgh City Council District 2 and the Office of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl

Ms. DeJohn was wary at first – like many seniors in Allegheny County she was unsure of any program offering something for free. She didn’t want to get ripped off, and she certainly wasn’t interested in waking up at 7am to allow volunteers into her home (Ms. DeJohn is NOT a morning person!). But after a glowing referral from her neighbor down the street, Ms. DeJohn agreed to allow Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh to provide her with some much needed repair services.

She sat on the porch with her two cats as volunteers went in and out of her West Pittsburgh home carrying paint trays and sheets of drywall. She was amazed at the energy of the individuals who gave their time willingly to help a neighbor in need – even if it was too early in the morning!

Repairs Completed for Ms. DeJohn:

• Patched significant drywall damage
• Repaired downspouts
• Replaced cracked and damaged window with a vinyl replacement
• Landscaped the front yard, planted flowers, and painted the foundation
• Fresh paint throughout

Neighborhood

Years in his home:  27

Volunteer Team:  Paul Parise & Friends

Sponsor:  Sears Heroes at Home

In 1945, the U.S. Military was conducting tests of the newly minted Atomic Bomb in the Pacific Ocean. Decommissioned warships would be loaded with weapons, everyday items, and even live chickens – anything that the military had an interest in determining how it would react to an explosion and the accompanying radiation. After the bomb had been dropped and the scientists had their conclusions, somebody had to clean up the mess! That was Seaman Dominic D’Achilles’ job. From the deck of a nearby Aircraft carrier Mr. D’Achilles would ferry over to the decommissioned ships, recapture the weapons, toss the junk overboard, and “deal” with dead chickens.

65 years later, Mr. D’Achilles now lives in a 1950’s ranch home surrounded by a series of small messes that he can no longer clean up. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, Mr. D’Achilles has developed cancer. The accompanying pain leaves him without the strength to make the most basic of home repairs. Thanks to RTP and Sears, Mr. D’Achilles home is more comfortable for him.

Repairs Completed for Mr. D’Achilles:

• Plumbing repairs in the first floor bathroom
• Removal of clutter from the basement
• New drop ceiling in the basement
• Fascia repair
• Fresh paint throughout

Letter of Intent

Years in her home:  36

Volunteer Team:  The Pittsburgh Project

Sponsor:  Sears Heroes at Home

Looking out from the living room window of Mrs. Bright’s home you can see the tops of the Downtown skyscrapers – but looking in you’ll see that her well-kept home is starting to show the signs of deferred maintenance.  A typical home for the neighborhood, the two-story house was hastily built in the days of the Southside Steel Industry.

Repairs Completed for Mrs. Bright:

• Replacement of damaged drywall in two bedrooms
• Removal of clutter from the basement
• New downspouts
• Moisture resistant Drylock in the basement
• Fresh paint throughout
• New carpeting on the second floor to prevent tripping

Neighborhood

Children Receiving Services:  150

Volunteer Team:  Pepsi Beverages Company

Sponsor:  Pittsburgh City Council District 2 and the Office of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl

More than 35 PBC associates joined the Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh team to make much needed repairs and upgrades to the Youth facility in preparation for the program’s launch.

Work on the facility will focused on preparing the various spaces for use by the neighborhood’s youth:

• In the Game Room, volunteers made repairs to a damaged floor, cleaned and insulated drafty windows, and built storage units for the program’s athletic equipment.
• By installing new electrical service and delivering computers with internet access, the group transformed an old dusty classroom into a Computer Learning Center.
• In the basement, where free after-school meals are prepared, PBC associates built a wheel-chair accessible ramp so that children with disabilities can participate in the program’s offerings.

Neighborhood

Years in her home:  15

Volunteer Team:  MEDRAD

Sponsor:  MEDRAD

Despite her trouble sitting, standing, or walking for long periods of time, Ms. Cotton is an active member of the Penn Hills community who dedicates much of her time to her church. Over the years, the condition of her home has slowly deteriorated and her limited means has made it impossible for her to pay to have the necessary repairs made.

Even though her home needed many repairs, her largest concern was protecting her home from the deer who came right up to her back door looking for food! Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh was able to accommodate that request, and much more!

Repairs Completed for Ms. Cotton:

• Repaired gutters and downspouts
• Replaced carpet and installed a handrail on the stairs
• Removed debris from basement and applied a waterproof paint to the foundation
• Secured the back patio and installed new storm door
• Rebuilt a retaining wall
• Minor plumbing repairs
• Fresh paint throughout