Partnership with Sears Focuses on Helping Veterans in our Community

Rebuilding Together Twin Cities recently partnered with the Sears Heroes at Home program to make repairs and improvements to a Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) home in Minneapolis.  MACV provides transitional housing and services to homeless veterans, and the home we worked on provides transitional housing for several veterans.

On September 17th, more than 20 volunteers from the Honeywell Retired Volunteers Program (HRVP) added a bedroom to the basement of the home in order to increase the number of veterans who can live there.  HRVP volunteers added an egress window, constructed a wall and ceiling, installed a new refrigerator and backsplash in the kitchen, and installed a new shower kit and trim around the shower in the bathroom on the main floor of the home.

Sears generously provided the funding for this project, and Heroes at Home projects were completed in more than 60 cities across the country.  We thank Sears and HRVP for partnering with us to help more veterans in our community!

Remembering 9/11

On September 10th, more than 250 volunteers joined Rebuilding Together Twin Cities and HandsOn Twin Cities to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11.  Senator Amy Klobuchar spoke at the event, along with Brian Dunn, Best Buy CEO, and Kathleen West, civic leader.

Volunteers spent the morning cleaning and polishing tribute markers along Victory Memorial Drive; gardening at Loring Elementary School; planting trees and shrubs at Theodore Wirth Park; drawing and writing on a Freedom Banner; and writing letters to the troops.

The volunteer event on 9/10 was the culmination of a larger initiative by Rebuilding Together Twin Cities and HandsOn Twin Cities to engage 1,000 volunteers to provide critical home repairs and services for 30 families in need, including several veterans and their families.

Thanks again to everyone who was able to join us and a huge thank you to sponsors of projects connected with this event, including Ameriprise Financial, CB Richard Ellis, GLS Companies, Honeywell, Minnesota Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation, Mosaic Company, Sears Heroes at Home, and Wells Fargo; and sponsors of the commemoration event, including the HandsOn Network, Best Buy, and Target.

Coming Together to Commemorate 9/11

This September marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a tragic day that affected countless individuals, families and communities.  In the aftermath of that terrible event, we witnessed neighbors reaching out to help one another, organizations and businesses supporting those in need, and volunteers providing hours upon hours of service.  In 2009, September 11th was designated a National Day of Service and Remembrance to recognize the power of people coming together to help each other recover and rebuild.

To commemorate this anniversary, Rebuilding Together Twin Cities and HandsOn Twin Cities are partnering to provide critical home repairs and services for 30 families in need, including several veterans and their families.  Together, we plan to engage 1,000 volunteers through this initiative, which will culminate in a large volunteer event on September 10th that will recognize fallen soldiers, veterans who have served and those who are still serving.

On Saturday, September 10th beginning at 9am at the Victory Memorial Flagpole at the intersection of Victory Memorial Drive and 45th Avenue North, volunteers will gather and listen to local dignitaries share about the importance of service. Immediately afterwards, volunteers will participate in various activities, including cleaning and polishing tribute markers along Victory Memorial Drive; beautifying Farview Park; planting trees and shrubs at Theodore Wirth Park; and speed volunteering opportunities at Folwell Park, such as drawing and writing on a Freedom Banner, sending electronic tributes to the troops, and writing letters to the troops.

Community members will be able to sign up on HandsOn Twin Cities’ project calendar beginning the week of August 22nd.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for this event, which includes employee projects throughout August and September and thorough event recognition, please contact Kathy Greiner at k.greiner@rebuildingtogether-twincities.org.

Thank you to sponsors of projects connected with this event, including Ameriprise Financial, GLS Companies, Honeywell, Minnesota Timberwolves FastBreak Foundation, Mosaic Company, Sears Heroes at Home, and Wells Fargo; and sponsors of the commemoration event, including the HandsOn Network, Best Buy, and Target.