PROGRAMS

October Block Building Program
October 11 & 18, 2008

In September 2003 the October Block Building Program was started in partnership with the Bank of America Foundation.  Each fall, RTO focuses its efforts on a single neighborhood, rehabilitating several low-income homes on a single block. In addition, RTO performs block-wide improvements including debris removal and graffiti abatement. The 2003 program focused on 31st Street between West and Martin Luther King. Since then, RTO has focused on other low-income neighborhoods in Oakland including Sobrante Park, and this year, the Elmhurst neighborhood. In October 2007, with the help of 825 volunteers, RTO renovated five homes as well as the Madison Middle School in the Sobrante Park neighborhood.

April Rebuilding Program
National Rebuilding Day: April 25, 2009

During the last two weekends in April hundreds of skilled and unskilled volunteers come together to help restore the homes of their low-income neighbors. These homes, in addition to community facilities that provide direct services to low-income communities, have fallen into disrepair. Home repairs focus on safety, comfort and independence for our clients, and include carpentry, flooring, plumbing, electrical, plastering, painting, glazing, weather-stripping, window replacement, locksmithing, landscaping, yard work and debris removal. In April 2008 RTO renovated 30 homes and 9 community centers.

 

Safe-At-Home Program
Year round

In 2006 Rebuilding Together Oakland initiated its year round “Safe-At-Home” minor home modification program with a generous grant from the Y&H Soda Foundation.  This program targets seniors and disabled persons in need of minor home repairs who cannot wait until the April Rebuilding Program. When the appropriate modifications are determined, one or two volunteers work for a few hours installing critical home modifications such as grab bars and handrails, door and faucet grips, shower bench assist units, safety lights, fire extinguishers, and smoke alarms, and other items as needed. For more information please see our brochure, press release and Safe-at-Home Homeowner and Caregiver applications.