Rebuilding Together links those in need with those who can help

Homeowners with properties in desperate need of repair may find the assistance they have been hoping for in an organization that is in the midst of formation.

West-Central Missouri Rebuilding Together has received the support of several churches, social service agencies and city officials.

“We want people to be in homes that are warm, safe and dry,” said the Rev. Matthew Keith, of First Christian Church, who is organizing the group.

The up-and-coming group would help elderly, disabled or low-income homeowners make needed repairs to their property through donations and volunteer work crews.

“We can connect homeowners with needs with individuals who want to help, but don’t know where to start. ... Nobody can do all the work, but if we coordinate with each other we can get the work done,” Keith said.
He met with the Sedalia City Council earlier this month to discuss the idea and received a favorable response. Since then, Keith has met with 16 leaders of non-profit organizations, churches and social service agencies to begin planning. Recently, the issue of property code enforcement has been an issue at the forefront.

“When the time is right, it starts moving,” he said.

Keith, who worked with a Rebuilding Together program in Canton, Ill., for about six years, noticed a need for a similar program here. He has been “planting the seeds” of the program for a little more than a year. Several months ago, another group recognized the need for homeowner assistance. Missouri Valley Community Action Agency’s Circles group, which is a support network for people who are trying to become self sufficient, selected housing as a community project.

The West-Central Missouri Rebuilding Together program has turned into a collaborative effort by Keith, the Circle’s group, Pettis County Community Partnership and others. Jamie Bethel, Circles community organizer, said resources are able to be pooled by the groups coming together. For example, she may know a roofer who is willing to help while Keith might have a plumber willing to donate services.

“With everybody getting together we can make it happen,” Bethel said. “But, I couldn’t make it happen on my own, no way.”

The Sedalia group plans to apply to become an affiliate of the national group, Rebuilding Together, which operates in more than 200 cities nationwide. Typically, affiliates have a signature event in April where volunteers tackle projects at multiple homes.

Keith hopes to raise the $20,000 needed to start the affiliate and pay for repair on about six homes for a major build day in April. It will take about $1,500 for start-up costs and $2,500 to $3,000 for home repairs on six homes. The idea is to have volunteers — including organizations, businesses, churches or other groups who want to sponsor a home — gather on one day to complete the repairs.

“Of course, you can’t discount the fact we are going to need some skilled trades: electrical, plumbing, some roofing,” Keith said.

The group also wants to help people on a year-round basis and continue to collect and store donations of construction items for projects.

The group plans to begin accepting applications for assistance in January. David Horstman, 56, will likely be among the first applicants. Horstman owns a home at 1500 S. Harrison St., but lives in a rental because the house was left vacant for years and fell into disrepair. Horstman, who was left disabled from a neck and back injury in 1994, never lived in the home on Harrison Street because he moved in with his mother to care for her until she died a little more than a year ago.

“All the years I stayed over here, the house I owned kept getting in worse shape all the time and it got to where it wasn’t really livable,” he said. “... With my paying the rent over here, I couldn’t afford to get anything done over there. That’s why I was kind of stuck.”

The plumbing is bad from burst pipes, the roof needs repair and vandals have broken several windows. Horstman now faces prosecution from the city for violations of property codes and has received an extension to have the work completed, but has another court date today. He is hopeful West-Central Missouri Rebuilding Together will be able to help.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Horstman said of the organization. “I can’t tell you how down in the dumps I was. ... I didn’t want to lose my house. It just really made my life. I feel so much better I don’t have that pressure that I had on me before so I hope everything works out.”

Keith anticipates Horstman will be among the first helped by the new organization.

“With a few thousand dollars and the labor of neighbors, we can put him back in a livable dwelling which he owns,” he said. “We can do things that are transformative in people’s lives by working together.”

For more information contact call Keith at 826-5300 or e-mail him at mdkeith@sbcglobal.net.