December 2020

Home has a different meaning to everyone but generally the same connotation to all. It is meant to be a safe place. Rebuilding Together exists not only to repair homes and revitalize communities but the third piece is key – to rebuild lives. We believe that by fixing the exterior we can help to create a happier and healthier interior to turn a house into a home. Let’s see what ‘home’ means to our staff here at RTSEMI…

Lindsey Johnson: “I think there is a big reason we see such a difference in the words ‘house’ and home’. A house is a structure, a foundation, a roof over your head. And don’t get me wrong, everyone who has a house is already more blessed than many others. But a home is an entirely different thing. A home is your safe place. That can mean different things to different people – where your family is, where you were born and raised and made precious memories, where you are raising your kids. Home is the happy, peaceful state in which we live our lives.”

Aliza Durack: “I associate home with people, the people I love most in the world. My family, my friends, and the safety and comfort they provide. I don’t think “home” means a building or place people stay, I think it is a space inside ourselves that we hold for other people. The more space you are able to hold for the people you love, the larger your home is. You don’t need a building to have a home, I think you just need to have people you love, and people who love you. The capacity for love is great, and I think the more I recognize that, the more I realize that your home is just a reflection of the love you give to and receive from others”

Chris Perkins: “Fittingly for this time of year, when I think of home I picture the warmth and comfort associated with Christmas. Probably because “home” becomes more significant when contrasted against a cold, dreary Michigan winter. Home means protection against the elements and protection against whatever else life might throw at you. Home means safety, familiarity, and relaxation.”

Mike Hurst: “Home is a place of unconditional love.”

We hope everyone is staying safe through the rest of this hard year and we look forward to a bright future together in 2021! Happy Holidays!

In my undergraduate career, I found that I had a passion for helping people in sustainable ways. I found that working in the field of nonprofits was something I wanted to explore, and while searching for a job after graduation in 2020 had its challenges, the opportunities offered with an AmeriCorps term at Rebuilding Together Southeast Michigan were unique and I was lucky to be afforded the opportunity to learn from the staff and homeowners in this program.

 

As this year winds down, I reflect on my term so far and I find myself feeling incredibly grateful to the staff who have cultivated an environment where we are encouraged to learn and try new things. I think one of the most important things you can do when you graduate college is to push yourself to learn new things and find what inspires you the most. I am lucky to work with and encounter people who support and want the best for this organization and it’s staff. Some of the most important lessons I have learned so far are from the homeowners we serve through our program. There is a distinct vulnerability that comes with understanding someone’s financial and emotional hardship, and I have learned that extending empathy to people is a skill in this line of work. It is something you can use to make each homeowner we serve more comfortable and accepting of the help we provide, and that is a very special thing.

 

As I think of all the conversations in the office, the phone calls to homeowners and strategizing about the organization and it’s goals for the new year, I find myself feeling incredibly grateful for the experiences I have here. I recognize that as I speak with homeowners in Oakland county and am able to offer them an application for free home repairs, that is privilege. That privilege is something I will always be grateful for, and I will continue to extend empathy to those who deserve it most, and myself as I learn more about what inspires me most throughout my term. I find that I am learning more about the community I live in, and appreciate that I can see the world through not only my perspective, but the perspectives of those who need help. That is something I will always carry with me, and I know I will learn more about in the remainder of my term.

As the end of the year approaches and I am getting close to halfway through my AmeriCorps term, I took some time to reflect on what these past 5 months have looked like and how it has made me feel. Naturally, we are all struggling this year as we navigate together what it means to live in a pandemic. There have been many vast changes for all of us, myself included. With this being my second job of the year, it is easy to see the negatives that I have gone through – losing my last job, moving around, trying to find stability. But it is even easier to see the positives, all of which came from being offered the position of the AmeriCorps Wayne County Outreach Coordinator for Rebuilding Together Southeast Michigan.

With every day and week looking completely different than the last, it requires you to be extremely flexible and willing to try new things. One week might be packed full of processing homeowner applications while the next is busy with event coordination and fundraising followed by blogging, social media upkeep and marketing. I would have had no idea there are so many different pieces to running a successful nonprofit and having the chance to work on each of them is so unique. I love the responsibility I feel of being part of a very small team and having such high standards to upkeep with the importance of our mission.

This experience thus far has put everything into a different perspective for me. I have a roof over my head and a home that protects my physical and emotional well being during this hard year – many do not. Rebuilding Together’s mission is “Repairing Homes, Revitalizing Communities, Rebuilding Lives.” I have had the pleasure of witnessing all three of these things happen in front of me. Having a hand in 6 different home repair projects as well as a large-scale park revitalization project with the recruitment of 150 new volunteers all in 5 months during a pandemic…that is powerful. If nothing else, this position has shown me that people have the natural desire to help other people. None of us have a ton of time, money or energy this year as we take on our own battles but somehow, I witness our nonprofit manage to keep running by the grace of every single donor and volunteer that keeps coming back to make sure others are being served.

I am new to Detroit, I’ve lived in 4 other cities and I haven’t experienced a community that is so strongly bonded like it is here. The vulnerability of the homeowners and families I get to work with is so incredible. I hope they know that their willingness to open up to us and ask for help is nothing short of inspiring and the reason I keep going each day. Between the wonderful team I work with daily and the volunteers I work with only once, the homeowners I meet and the ones I only speak with via email, every single one has had a hand in making my experience what it is. There isn’t a job in the world that is quite like it. These skills are translatable to any job you could want to move into after the term is over. Serving with AmeriCorps has taught me so much and I truly believe it is invaluable experience you won’t find anywhere else.

The holidays can be a difficult time for anyone struggling financially, and the pressure to provide gifts, and meals is certainly difficult anytime and especially this year. With so many families struggling, we did some research into organizations that may be able to help your family get through the holidays. 

Oakland County:

Lighthouse of Oakland County: 248-920-6060, www.lighthouseoakland.org

Services offered: Gifts for Seniors and “Adopt A Family Christmas Program”.  Matches families with donors and then helps distributes donor gifts to adopted families in December.  Also Thanksgiving meal items, baby, household and personal care items and medical equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers.

Rochester Area Neighborhood House: 248-651-5836, www.ranh.org 

Services offered: Holiday Food Baskets, RANH’s Christmas Shopping Days program designates a time for those in need to select gifts for their children.  These gifts are donated by the Rochester community specifically for this event.

South Oakland Shelter: 248-546-6566, http://sos1985.org/

Services offered: Provides shelter, meals and other services including holiday help to homeless men, women and children.

Open Door Outreach: 248-360-2930,  http://www.opendooroutreachcenter.com

Services offered: Offers programs to assist low and moderate-income families during holidays and other special occasions who live in Waterford, White Lake, West Bloomfield, Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake, Commerce, Walled Lake and parts of Wixom.

Troy People Concerned: 248-528-9199, http://www.tpchelps.org/

Services offered: Holiday baskets 

Grace Centers of Hope: 248-334-2187, http://www.gracecentersofhope.org/

Services offered: Serving dinner to homeless and needy people at two seating’s, 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the center. Women need to enter at the Perry Street entrance; the men’s entrance is on University. 

 

Wayne County:

Toys for Tots: https://detroit-mi.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/default.aspx?nPageID=100&nPreviewInd=200&nRedirectInd=3

Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas.

Senior alliance holiday meals: https://thesenioralliance.org/

This program provides hot festive meals to homebound seniors age 60 & over OR disabled people

on Christmas

Detroit Area Agency on Aging: https://www.detroitseniorsolution.org/

Same as above program

Holiday Meals on Wheels: 313-446-4444

Lighthouse Ministry: 734-467-7540

Food boxes, holiday baskets, clothing

Old Newsboys’ Goodfellow Fund of Detroit and Wayne County: (586) 775-6139

Offers free holiday gift boxes, which include candy, warm clothing, free toys, books, games and more.

Detroit Lions Club: 313-272-3900

The non-profit gives back to the Wayne County and Oakland Community. Some holiday help, Christmas gifts or trees, parties, and other giveaway events may take place.

Free toys from USMC and charities: 586-205-0851

Children and infants from lower income families may be assisted; offer free gifts, clothing, winter attire, and more.

Salvation Army: https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/usc/location-search?location=detroit+mi

Many locations offer various seasonal holiday assistance

 

Source: https://julieslistb.homestead.com/HolidayAssistance.html 

A message directly from The Mesothelioma Center, “Countless veterans are currently suffering from life-threatening illnesses that are a result of exposure to asbestos, a material that was commonly used in hundreds of military applications, products, and ships because of its resistance to fire. Veterans who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma even qualify for special benefits from the U.S Department of Veteran Affairs.”

As a part of the nonprofit community, we feel it is our duty to put out as many resources to people as we can when we find them. We recently came across an educational guide on Mesothelioma by The Mesothelioma Center and we felt it was a good resource to share. With veterans being one of the major populations we serve, this is an issue that directly affects a large part of this population.

Mesothelioma along with other illnesses can come from asbestos. Asbestos is ‘a group of six naturally occurring minerals composed of soft, flexible fibers that are heat-resistant.’ While asbestos is used in many military products, it can also be found inside your home in common household products as well as within the walls in the way the home was built. We have attached a link to a guide that helps explain where asbestos is most commonly found in the home, how to know if you may have it and what to do about it. This is not something to take lightly as it can lead to very serious illness. Please take the time to access these resources and as always reach out with any questions or concerns we may be able to help you with.

 

Link to locating asbestos in the home:

https://www.asbestosnetwork.com/worker-safety/asbestos-in-the-home/

Link to Mesothelioma support:

https://www.asbestos.com/support/