Dozens Volunteer to Rehab Homes in North Philadelphia
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Dozens of volunteers converged today on a block of North Philadelphia to renovate the homes of seven low-income homeowners, part of block-by-block strategy to revitalize aging communities.
There were fifty sets of hands and more than 1,300 volunteer hours contributed over the two days (last Saturday and today).
"My basement is so dry now. My basement was just so damp," says Johnnie Doe, who runs a small daycare out of her home in the 1900 Block of North Marshall Street.
She had mold and mildew in her basement, old carpeting, and a broken front door.
"In the wintertime we sat with a blanket in here," she recalled. "Very, very drafty."
But thanks to volunteers from Rebuilding Together Philadelphia, those costly repairs have been completed.
What does it mean to her?
"That people still care."
Rebuilding Together executive director Stefanie Seldin says the repairs run the gamut: "We'll do electrical work, plumbing work." She says they repair 70 homes every year using about a thousand volunteers.
"(They) donate their time and also donate the supplies and materials," she points out.
Seldin says their goal is to revitalize communities by keeping neighborhoods affordable.
