Rebuilding Together Launches 2014 Communities of Promise Program
WASHINGTON, March 17, 2014 - Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit with a vision of a safe and healthy home for every person, is launching its 2014 Communities of Promise program to provide individualized coaching and support to select affiliates to help the organizations grow, develop and build capacity. This initiative is part of a larger suite of affiliate services that include national service programs like AmeriCorps, pass-through grants, direct staff support, an online Affiliate Resource Center, an annual National Conference and more.
Nine affiliates have completed a competitive application process and been selected to participate in 2014, which marks the program’s second year:
Rebuilding Together Broward County, Fla.
Rebuilding Together Colorado Springs, Colo.
Rebuilding Together Dayton, Ohio
Rebuilding Together Dutchess County, N.Y.
Rebuilding Together Fox Valley, Wis.
Rebuilding Together Long Beach, Calif.
Rebuilding Together of the Triangle, N.C.
Rebuilding Together Oklahoma City
Rebuilding Together Portland, Ore.
“We are thrilled to welcome these nine affiliates into this year’s program,” said Jessica Oh, Rebuilding Together’s Senior Director of Affiliate Services, Western Regions and Communities of Promise program leader. “These affiliates are ready to take their work to the next level, and our team is excited to provide the training and tools necessary to help them get there.”
Starting with a successful pilot year in 2011, 24 affiliates have participated in the Communities of Promise program so far. The program’s coaching and resources will focus on board governance, development, fundraising, communications and marketing, and other areas based on each affiliate’s individual goals. This year’s program will run 12 months and conclude in March 2015.
Colleen Loveless, executive director of the Springfield, Mass. affiliate, a 2013 Communities of Promise program participant, said, “The Communities of Promise initiative provided our board and staff at Rebuilding Together Springfield with the tools, training and expertise we needed to grow, become more effective, and to increase our sustainability, which has resulted in us serving more low-income homeowners.”
Since beginning the program, Rebuilding Together Springfield has added over 10 new board members to help grow the organization. The affiliate celebrated National Rebuilding Day 2013 with a cluster rebuild that brought together over 1,000 volunteers and 70 sponsors to provide critical repairs to 25 homes on one single street.
National Rebuilding Day, held on the last Saturday of April each year, is the culmination of National Rebuilding Month, Rebuilding Together’s nationwide month-long call to service. Last year across the country nearly 50,000 volunteers served at almost 3,000 affiliate-led rebuild projects during the month of April.