Rebuilding Together and Sherwin-Williams Partner to Promote Safer and Healthier Home Environments in 1800 Communities
Article type: Press Release
Miami, FL – Oct. 26, 2007 -- Rebuilding Together®, the nation’s largest volunteer home rehabilitation organization, is partnering with Sherwin-Williams to promote Lead Safe Work Practices in home maintenance and repair. A demonstration and celebration of the partnership will take place Saturday, October 27 at the Coconut Grove home of Joyeria Willis. Lead paint, pests and mold education are part of Rebuilding Together’s Safe and Healthy Homes Initiative.
The partnership strives to bring attention to the issue of deteriorated or non-intact lead paint and asthma triggers such as pests and mold. These often unnoticeable problems are seen in hundreds of thousands of homes across the country and can affect the health of families.
“Our partnership strives to raise awareness and share information on how to implement lead safe work practices and address household environmental asthma triggers such as pests and mold,” stated Gary A. Officer, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together.
“With support from Sherwin-Williams we will be working with CLEARCorps, an organization dedicated to eliminating lead hazards in homes, educating families on the issues of lead paint, pests and mold, to ensure a safe and healthy home for every person.”
Volunteers will work to paint the interior and exterior of Joyeria Willis’ home, as well as provide new toilets and sinks in two of the home’s bathrooms. Willis has lived in the home for 41 years, raised nine children there and currently has four grandchildren living with her.
Rebuilding Together worked with CLEARCorps to train selected affiliates in lead safe work practices and provided them with housing rehab suggestions and in-home education materials for families that may be at risk for exposure to lead based paint, mold, or pests. These materials will also be provided to Rebuilding Together’s affiliate network which serves more than 1800 communities nationwide.
A news conference will be held at Saturday, October 27 at 11am at Tucker Elementary School - 5200 Douglas Rd. directly adjacent to the Willis home. Speakers will include Gary A. Officer, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together; Christopher M. Connor, Chairman and CEO of Sherwin-Williams; Manuel A. Diaz, Mayor of Miami and homeowner, Joyeria Willis.
To learn more about Rebuilding Together please visit www.RebuildingTogether.org or call 202-483-4229.
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About Rebuilding Together
Rebuilding Together is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization working to preserve homeownership and neighborhoods by providing rehabilitation services free of charge to those in need. Through the support of corporate sponsors, local businesses, and the hands-on work of a quarter-million volunteers, Rebuilding Together rehabs and repairs more than 9000 homes each year. The market value of this work is in excess of $100 million annually. In addition to its core home repair work, Rebuilding Together rehabs community centers and conducts home modification and repair programs that focus on elder home safety, energy efficiency, veterans housing, and disaster recovery and reconstruction. Rebuilding Together has grown to 225 affiliates nationwide since its founding in 1988, and is now preserving safe and healthy homes in 1800 communities nationwide. Rebuilding Together celebrated the rehabilitation of its 100,000th home in 2006. For details, see www.RebuildingTogether.org or call 1-800-REHAB-9.
Initiatives: Safe and Healthy Homes