Rebuilding Together, Lowe’s to Restore Houston, Texas neighborhood During Super Bowl-Sanctioned Event
HOUSTON, January 24, 2017 – Rebuilding Together, a leading national non-profit in safe and healthy housing that provides critical home repairs to low-income homeowners in need, will host its 22nd annual community revitalization project, Kickoff to Rebuild, in partnership with its local affiliate, Rebuilding Together Houston during Super Bowl LI weekend.
Kickoff to Rebuild, a Super Bowl-sanctioned event, will take place on February 3, 2017 in the Independence Heights neighborhood of Houston, Texas. Independence Heights is the first African American city incorporated in Texas. The project will benefit five deserving homeowners. Volunteers will also establish a food pantry and a community green space. Additionally, Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers will rebuild a neighborhood welcome center, giving residents and visitors the opportunity to learn about the community’s rich history, which began in 1905, and its significance in the Houston area.
In anticipation of Super Bowl LI, Rebuilding Together Houston launched a campaign, Super Impact 17, in September 2015, with a commitment to raise $600,000 in the 17 months leading up to game day. Kickoff to Rebuild 2017 will be its culminating event.
Since the campaign’s inception, Rebuilding Together Houston has served over 500 low-income families. Independence Heights is home to nearly 14,000 residents of diverse backgrounds, many of whom have lived in the community for decades. Rebuilding Together’s efforts will help homeowners maintain home ownership, protect intergenerational wealth and ensure families preserve neighborhood connections, and safeguard the community's culture.
"The Independence Heights neighborhood embodies the need for Rebuilding Together's revitalization efforts throughout the country," said Caroline Blakely, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together. "As we continue our work in 2017 and beyond, we need to ensure long-term community residents are able to remain safely in their homes in order to preserve the rich culture of our historic neighborhoods in major metropolitan areas."
This marks the 22nd year Rebuilding Together has hosted this Super Bowl-sanctioned event – rebuilding homes and transforming communities in Super Bowl cities across the country. To date the event has impacted nearly 140 homes, engaged 5,000 volunteers and invested more than $5 million to communities in need. This year, 200 corporate and community volunteers will participate in various critical home repairs, accessibility modifications, painting, landscaping and other major home rehabilitations.
Kickoff to Rebuild will also launch Lowe’s and Rebuilding Together’s nationwide partnership activities for 2017, leading to neighborhood revitalization projects in other cities throughout the country. With the support of Lowe’s Heroes, Rebuilding Together has completed over 1,500 projects, impacting 16,000 individuals to date.
“By partnering with Rebuilding Together and Kickoff to Rebuild, we have an opportunity to bring new life to a community with a rich history,” said James Frison, community relations director at Lowe’s. “Our Lowe’s Heroes volunteers are ready to roll up their sleeves and do what it takes to revitalize the Independence Heights neighborhood and help restore the Welcome Center so that generations to come can learn about and enjoy the African American heritage that makes this neighborhood remarkable.”
Additional sponsors for the event include: CBRE, City of Houston, Super Bowl Host Committee, Marek Brothers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #716, and Services by Reliant.
For more information about Kickoff to Rebuild, visit http://togetherwetransform.org/ktr