In honor of Veterans Day, the Long Island Board of REALTORS® (LIBOR) contributed $7,500 to support veteran housing initiatives in Suffolk, Nassau, Queens and Brooklyn. The contributions will be divided between Rebuilding Together Long Island (RTLI) and Rebuilding Together New York City (RT NYC) to be used towards tangible home repair assistance and aid to veterans, active duty military and their families.
"Serving in the military is the most selfless and heroic act a person can undertake. During these stressful and difficult times, it is more important than ever to show our support to the men and women who sacrificed for our freedom, " said LIBOR President Matthew Arnold. "LIBOR is proud to aid Rebuilding Together in its mission to care for our veteran community through awareness, support and supplies, so that they may live in dignity in a safe, healthy and accessible home."
The donated funds will be utilized by RT NYC specifically to help two Brooklyn residents – legally blind JoJo and her husband, Peter, a Vietnam veteran who has cancer and early onset Parkinson's. Peter currently lives at a rehabilitation facility and is not allowed to return home until the house is equipped with the necessary accessibility modifications.
“We are happy to honor veteran Peter's service by making improvements and repairs over the next few months that will allow Peter to come home. We are thankful for Rebuilding Together NYC donors like LIBOR who help make this work happen, ensuring a safe and more accessible home for Jojo and Peter,” said Executive Director of RT NYC Valerie Payne. Rebuilding Together NYC donors like LIBOR help make this work happen. Our thanks to the members of the Long Island Board of REALTORS®!”
The contribution to RTLI will help fund its Hero Home Improvement Program, which serves low-income veterans, members of the military and their families by making critical home repairs and modifications that may be needed due to physical disabilities. These repairs are completed at no cost to the homeowner.
"For 15 years, we have been honored to partner with the extraordinary men and women of LIBOR. From financial support to swinging a hammer at a build, over and over again they have truly demonstrated that when you have a need, call a REALTOR® and they will be there,” said President of RTLI Stella Hendrickson. “In this instance, LIBOR’s support will help provide much needed assistance to those who served our country, who are now struggling. Together we will help give them the warmth of a safe home that they truly deserve.”
About Rebuilding Together Long Island
Rebuilding Together Long Island is dedicated to restoring the homes of economically disadvantaged homeowners who are elderly, disabled, and/or single-parent families, so they may continue to live in comfort with dignity and independence. Their committed staff of volunteers provide a wide range of services which include plumbing and electrical repairs, yard work, tree trimming, gutter cleaning, carpentry, roof repair, trash removal, non-cosmetic painting, lock work, smoke detector installation and the construction of wheel chair ramps. All of the services of Rebuilding Long Island Together are provided at no cost to the homeowner.
About Rebuilding Together New York City
Rebuilding Together NYC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of affordable housing and the cultivation of a skilled workforce. Leveraging a robust volunteer and partnership network, RTNYC transforms the lives of striving New Yorkers through comprehensive programming designed to strengthen the relationship between secure housing and stable employment by improving the safety and health of homes, re-skilling underemployed individuals in the construction trades, and revitalizing community spaces to better serve and support local residents.