A Message from Gary A. Officer, President and CEO, Rebuilding Together
Article type: News
Dear Rebuilding Together Supporters,
As we approach the holiday season this year, I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to our many friends and donors for your support of Rebuilding Together in 2009.
This has been a quite extraordinary year for our nation. Over the past year we have witnessed efforts to stabilize our economy, and our housing industry, amidst continued fears about the long term effect of our economic crisis on our nation's future prosperity. Real Estate, the traditional bedrock of our financial health, continues to show limited signs of recovery, and nowhere is the real estate crisis more acute than in low-income communities.
As we gather for this holiday season, many of us are thankful for what we have. We are thankful for our jobs, healthy family and friends, and for the resources to enjoy the splendors of our great country. However, for millions of Americans the conclusion of 2009 marks the end of a year of personal turmoil. For many 2009 brought loss of employment, the foreclosure of their home, and the destruction of their financial future. They are not alone.
In 2009, Rebuilding Together intensified our efforts as never before, to assist as many homeowners and communities as possible. This year we successfully rebuilt more than 10,400 low and moderate income homes, and non-profit facilities.
Our ability to serve deserving homeowners in need is predicated on our ability to engage and retain the support of you, our donors. We're thankful that your continued support in 2009 has strengthened our strong financial position; enhanced our reputation as one of our nation's leading affordable housing organizations; and once again, secured recognition by the Charity Navigator as a four-star rated non-profit organization with impressive financial and administrative skills.
We are thankful for the hard work of our extraordinary affiliates and are perpetually in awe of the valuable impact that they are making on a daily basis in communities across our nation. Our more than 200 affiliates serve in small and large communities across 46 states, and brought together over 200-thousand volunteers this year to work on Rebuilding Together projects. We are also grateful that many of you have been among our volunteer teams. This wonderful outpouring of generosity speaks to the best of the human spirit.
Finally, thanks to those of you who have provided financial support as we cannot do our critical mission work without it. We appeal to all of you, our friends, to continue to support Rebuilding Together in the year ahead. With your help, we have transformed lives, and allowed troubled communities to thrive in spite of difficulties. With your help, we will continue to meet the growing need.
Thank you for your support and best wishes for a healthy and safe New Year.
Happy holidays!
Gary A. Officer
President and CEO
Rebuilding Together
December 2009