After its volunteer program was put on pause because of the coronavirus pandemic, a South Bay nonprofit that helps low-income residents carry out home repairs was able to get back to work this weekend.
Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley had a long list of fix-it projects ready to go for its volunteers this past spring.
“We were all set to do the work for them then, but because of COVID we had to postpone it,” said Executive Director Deanne Everton.
She told KCBS Radio that for the elderly and low income residents that the San Jose charity serves, many of whom have difficulty leaving their homes, this was a bad time.
“If we’re not able to go in and do that work, then they’re spending basically 100% of their time in an unhealthy, unsafe environment,” Everton said.
With the COVID-19 safety protocols hashed out, this weekend marked the beginning of a week-long series of volunteer projects, 14 in all, that will include a lot of painting and landscaping.
Even with this flurry of activity, Everton said the effort still isn’t meeting the need that’s out there.
“Our clients are sheltering in place like all of us, but most of them don’t see when that’s going to end,” she added. “They’re probably going to be the last ones to come out of the home because they’re the most vulnerable.”
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