Frequently Asked Questions

What is rebuilding together?
Rebuilding Together Charleston repairs homes, revitalizes communities and rebuilds lives in Kanawha and Putnam Counties.  

Rebuilding Together Charleston volunteers and contractors repair homes at no charge to the low-income homeowner.  We focus on health and safety, especially helping seniors age in their homes. 

We are part of Rebuilding Together, Inc. a national network of local nonprofits with 40 years of experience making homes safe and healthy.  Affiliates in 144 communities across the country work with corporate and community partners to mobilize 100,000 volunteers each year. 
Why do people need your services?
No one likes to forgo basic home maintenance or needed repairs.  But illness, aging, rising costs, or job loss can force a neighbor to make difficult choices.  Many low-income seniors can't afford even basic upgrades to their homes.  They can't afford to grow old in the homes they love. 

​Rebuilding Together volunteers make a real difference in people's lives.
​who does rebuilding together help, and how do you find out about them?
We help people repair and modify their homes to make them safer and healthier.  Our clients are low-income homeowners who plan to stay in their houses for at least two more years.  You can apply for help here.  RTC gives priority to seniors, persons with disabilities, families with children, and veterans.

We often hear about families looking for help from social workers, health care providers, faith-based groups, other nonprofits, neighbors, families, and friends. 
Does the homeowner pay for repairs?
Homeowners do not pay for the repairs we make.  Donations from the homeowners we serve are always welcome, but never required.  We rely on financial and in-kind donations from many generous donors, including: 
  • Individuals
  • Small local businesses
  • Faith-based groups
  • Corporations
  • Employee Groups
  • Foundations
​How does Rebuilding together repair homes?
First, we assess what repairs a home needs and develop a detailed scope of work.  Then, our team pulls together funding, volunteers, materials and tools to make the needed repairs. 

Our volunteers are amazing We team new volunteers with experienced handymen and women to work together to fix homes.  We also call in professional contractors as needed. 
What type of repairs do you do?
Every house and every homeowner is different.  We tailor each project to the home's specific needs, based on our 25 Health and Safety Priorities.  Because most of our clients are seniors, we specialize in home modifications for again in place.  This means seniors can safely stay in their homes as they get older.   You can learn more about our most common repairs here. 

We do many repairs on the homes we work on, but we aren't always able to do them all.  We are limited by the amount of funding and volunteers available with the right skill sets. 
What are rebuilding together's 25 health and safety priorities?
Rebuilding Together affiliates from across the country worked with the National Center for Healthy Housing, to develop a consistent set of metric based on the principles of healthy homes.  A home should be safe, healthy and livable for people of every age and ability.  You can read the full list of priorities here.  We track before and after comparisons of these 25 priorities to highlight the impact of our repairs on each home. 
When do projects happen?
Rebuilding Together Charleston makes critical home repairs throughout the year - on both weekdays and weekends.  Our signature even is National Rebuilding Day, which takes place during the last weekend in April.
Does rebuilding together charleston do presentations?
Yes, Rebuilding Together Charleston welcomes opportunities to reach out to the community.  We love working with senior center, businesses and other organization on various topics:
  • How to get help with critical home repairs
  • How to volunteer with RTC
  • How to engage your team by becoming a partner
Interested in a presentation?  Get in touch with our staff. 
How can I get involved - or get my organization involved?
You can help Rebuilding Together Charleston as an individual or as an organizational partner.  Regardless of your personal skills or the size of your team, you can make a real difference.  To volunteer as an individual or a group, contact our office to learn more. 
do you accept donations of building supplies, tools, furniture or appliances?
We appreciate the items you want to donate.  To keep our operating costs low, we maintain limited storage space and do not have a warehouse.  We can generally accept only items we need for current projects only.  All items donated should be clean and in good condition.  We do not accept appliances.  Please contact us if you'd like more information about donating supplies, tools, furniture or appliances. 
 Your question still not answered?  
Contact us and one of our team members will get back to you shortly.