Rebuilding Together seeks to fill housing repair need

APPLETON - The demand for people needing help with home repairs in the area is on the rise.

And the non-profit group "Rebuilding Together" is gearing up to meet the challenge.

The group kicked-off a fundraising campaign in Appleton Tuesday morning.

It's a program that can help those in need.

It was last summer when a muscular disease sapped Bob McDonald's strength.

"It got me where I couldn't walk at all, or stand, and now I'm in my chair," said Bob McDonald, Appleton.

His Appleton house wasn't built for a wheelchair.

"It became very restrictive for me," said McDonald.

It's a situation facing many disabled people and senior citizens struggling to budget unexpected home repairs.

A fundraising effort called "Raise the Roof" is underway.

"$600,000 over five years. We hope by raising that, we can do an additional 100 projects of this size," said executive director Kate Dugan of Rebuilding Together Fox Valley.

Rebuilding Together is growing to meet a growing need.

"We no longer just do hand bars and grab rails. A lot of times now we're going to have homeowners will have hand bars and grab rails and foundation cracks. Last year, we actually re-set an entire foundation for a home," said Ferris Meuli, Rebuilding Together Fox Valley, construction services director.
 
The payoff for a program like this can be huge. The average cost of a rebuilding together project is about $6,000. And a person can stay in their home.

"If they move to an assisted living facility, or group home, nursing home, the cost to keep them there is something between $3,000-$8,000 a month," said Bill Welch, Rebuilding Together Fox Valley.

Bob McDonald showed us his new bathroom.

"I can pretty much do all the doughnuts I want to do in here, wee. It's pretty cool," said McDonald.

A new shower is wheelchair friendly.

"It's like parking in my own parking spot," said McDonald.

There are wooden floors, and remodeled ramps front and back.

McDonald says he can't thank Rebuilding Together enough.

"The quality of life is the key factor. It brought the quality right up, 100%," said McDonald.

Pledges to Rebuilding Together already total $240,000.  

And a check for $25,000 was presented Tuesday morning.

Since its beginning in 2001, the organization has helped nearly 600 homeowners in the Fox Valley.