Holy Cross Students, Faculty and Staff to Participate in Rebuilding Together Worcester

WORCESTER, Mass. – Students, faculty and staff from the College of the Holy Cross will join with other local volunteers for the 8th Annual Rebuilding Together Worcester (RTW) Weekend from Friday, April 18 – Sunday, April 20.  Similar to Habitat for Humanity, Rebuilding Together is a national volunteer organization that works to preserve affordable housing by bringing volunteers and communities together to rehabilitate the homes of low-income homeowners.  The Worcester chapter will rehabilitate 10 properties during its Rebuilding Weekend, including homes and non-profit community centers or shelters.

Many of the volunteers from Holy Cross will work in four-hour shifts at homes in the Burncoat and Greendale neighborhoods, under the direction of Joshua Farrell, volunteer house captain for RTW Rebuilding Weekend and Thomas D'Ambra Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Holy Cross.  Specific projects may include roofing, replacing storm doors, painting, yard clean up, building retaining walls, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, carpeting and tiling.

Farrell, who has been involved with RTW since 2004, says “I love the community building aspect of RTW.  Many of the senior citizens we work with have a long history of taking excellent care of themselves and their homes, but recent health problems result in them falling behind on maintenance.”

“With a lot of hard work over one weekend we can often restore the homes to their previous levels and improve the safety of their surroundings. Holy Cross has had a partnership with Burncoat High School for some time now, and we look forward to extending that work into the surrounding neighborhoods.”

Holy Cross participants will join volunteers from organizations including Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Capital One, GE Healthcare, Anna Maria College, Century 21 Tangney Realtors, and St. Rose of Lima Parish, among others. About RTW: RTW is a volunteer organization that forms partnerships with corporations, individuals and other organizations committed to improving the local community by rehabilitating non-profit facilities such as community centers and shelters and the houses of low-income homeowners, particularly the elderly, disabled and families with children, so that they may continue to live in warmth, safety and independence.