Honeywell Ramp Team Celebrating 10th Year and 66 Ramps!

Our incredible Honeywell Retirees Volunteer Program (HRVP) Ramp Team just celebrated 10 years of service to our community! They have built 66 ramps during those 10 years, improving the safety and independence of the older adults and individuals living with a disability who live in those 66 homes.

Several years ago, we talked with one of the Ramp Team Leaders, Armand Peterson, about the Ramp Team and how it started. He said, “The retiree ramp project grew out of initiatives started at the Honeywell Retirees Volunteer Program (HRVP). HRVP dated back to 1979, but its mission was to help retirees find volunteer activities in their communities. Honeywell reconfigured its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program in the early 2000s…”Housing and Shelter” was defined as one of the key objectives, and Honeywell supported it by becoming a national corporate partner of Rebuilding Together. Paul Parrish solicited retiree volunteers for the RTTC Safe at Home programs, and the ramp projects grew out of these original efforts.”

This incredible team continues to volunteer in rain, shine, or snow! Even during the pandemic, they have continued this important work. We are so thankful for all that they do!

Ramp Enables COVID-19 Survivor to Come Home

Last month, we were thrilled and proud to build a ramp for Duane so he could return home after a battle with COVID-19!  We would like to send a huge thank you to our Honeywell Retired Volunteer Program Ramp Team for their hard work on this project.  We’d also like to thank our other partners who came together to make this happen, including St. Bridget’s Church in Minneapolis and the Knights of Columbus.

Check out KARE 11’s story about this project here.

HRVP Ramp Team Installs 50th Ramp

We
are thrilled to share that our HRVP Ramp Team recently completed their 50th
Ramp at a transitional home operated by the Minnesota Assistance Council for
Veterans (MACV).  These incredible
volunteers braved the rain and mud to make sure that this project was a
success, so homeless veterans can access the transitional housing provided by
MACV.

David
Nguyen, metro housing team leader for Minnesota Housing Council for Veterans
said, “The ramp for our transitional housing is instrumental for MACV to
efficiently serve all of our Veterans in need. 
The ramp allows Veterans with wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility
barriers to safely and efficiently enter and exit the house.  Most importantly, it allows us to serve those
who served us with the respect and dignity they deserve.  Already, we are looking at moving two Veterans
into the house that received Rebuilding Together Twin Cities’ last ramp
build.  Both Veterans have mobility
issues and we know that we will achieve our mission of ending Veteran
homelessness with your support.”

Rebuilding
Together Twin Cities is incredibly grateful to the HRVP Ramp Team, and we are
look forward to continuing this partnership!

Ramp Team Restores Homeowner’s Independence

Our Ramp Team recently constructed a ramp for Marge, who has problems with her knees and isn’t able to navigate even the smallest step.  As a result, she has not been able to leave her house for three years.  Thanks to the hard work of the Ramp Team, Marge can now go outside again, and she was truly overwhelmed by the help she received.  Thanks to our amazing Ramp Team for changing lives one ramp at a time!