Rebuilding Together and Lowe’s to Complete Kickoff To Rebuild Project- Super Bowl XLVIII Event in Moonachie

January 15, 2014 /3BL Media/ - Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit organization, is teaming up with Lowe’s to revitalize a Moonachie, N.J. neighborhood as part of Kickoff to Rebuild, a Super Bowl XLVIII-sanctioned event.

More than 150 volunteers from Rebuilding Together Bergen County, Lowe’s and other community partners will complete critical home repairs for thirteen local low-income homeowners as part of Super Bowl weekend.

The repairs will improve the safety and health of homes for local residents, including seniors and families who have lived in the neighborhood for more than 50 years and were devastated by flooding from Superstorm Sandy. Many of the homes will receive major electrical and plumbing repairs, new sheetrock and flooring.   

Volunteers also will revitalize two community spaces as part of continued rebuilding efforts in the Moonachie community. The finishing touches will be put on the new playground at St. Joseph’s Park by Carter Oosterhouse, founder of the Carter’s Kids Foundation. Construction on the playground began in October.

Since 2007, Lowe’s has contributed more than $9 million to Rebuilding Together to improve local communities. With the help of Lowe’s Heroes, Lowe’s and Rebuilding Together have renovated and rehabilitated nearly 1,000 homes and assisted approximately 11,000 individuals, providing low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners with critical repairs, accessibility and safety modifications and energy-efficiency updates.

“Lowe’s continues to work closely with our partners to provide funding and volunteer support to the areas hit hardest by Superstorm Sandy,” said Joan Higginbotham, Lowe’s director of community relations. “Through our partnership with Rebuilding Together, we’ve been able to have an active role in helping communities during this long-term rebuilding and recovery effort.”

This is the 19th year that Rebuilding Together has joined together with a local affiliate and sponsors during Super Bowl weekend to complete a Kickoff to Rebuild project.  

“Rebuilding Together and its affiliates appreciate the support of Lowe’s and its dedicated Heroes volunteers as we repair and rebuild more Superstorm Sandy homes as part of this year’s Kickoff to Rebuild with the NFL in Bergen County,” said Charley Shimanski, president and CEO of Rebuilding Together. “Since the storm hit in October 2012, Rebuilding Together’s affiliates have completed work on more than 270 homes with the help of more than 4,000 volunteers.”

The American Red Cross provided $2.25 million in Sandy recovery grant funding to Rebuilding Together to support critical repairs on these and other homes affected by the storm throughout New Jersey and New York.

Other supporters include CBRE, Bergen County VOAD, BNY Mellon, FedEx, Gorilla Glue, Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, Inserra Supermarkets, Inc., and Wallace Genetic Foundation.  In-kind supporters include GAF, Roof4Roof, J. Canabe’s Painting and Bob’s Discount Furniture.

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About Lowe’s:
Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. The company’s signature education grant program, Lowe’s Toolbox for Education®, has donated more than $36 million to 8,000 K-12 public schools, benefiting more than 4 million schoolchildren. Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers support local community projects and our national nonprofit partners such as >Habitat for Humanity, Rebuilding Together and the American Red Cross. In 2012, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $30 million to support communities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. To learn more, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility and LowesInTheCommunity.tumblr.com

About Rebuilding Together:
Rebuilding Together is a Safe and Healthy Housing organization that believes community starts at home. Our focus provides critical repairs, accessibility modifications and energy efficient upgrades to low-income homes and community centers at no cost to service recipients. Our impact extends beyond the individuals served to revitalize and stabilize vulnerable neighborhoods and communities across the country. Our 187 local affiliates completed 10,400 rebuild projects in 2012 thanks to the efforts of 100,000 volunteers from corporate partners, skilled trades professionals and everyday good citizens. Join us – visit www.RebuildingTogether.org.

About Rebuilding Together Bergen County:
Rebuilding Together Bergen County has been serving the area for 15 years and provided assistance to some 350 homeowners in 45 towns. Our core home-repair work focuses on home safety, energy efficiency, and accessibility for seniors, the disabled, veterans, and families with children.  Since Hurricane Sandy, we have completely restored six homes (with 16 more under construction) and the Little Ferry Hook & Ladder and Hose Companies, and re-insulated 150 mobile homes.  For more information, visit www.RebuildingTogetherBergen.org. You can follow us on Twitter @RT_Bergen or like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/RebuildingTogetherBergenCounty.

About Carter’s Kids:
Carter’s Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and promoting awareness of fitness and self-esteem for America’s youth. Founded in 2008 by TV host Carter Oosterhouse, the purpose of Carter’s Kids is to increase the activity level of kids by building and developing community parks and playgrounds in their neighborhoods. These play spaces have been found to have a positive effect on the cognitive, social and physical development of the children who use them.

Media Contacts:
Janice Walker
Rebuilding Together
202.518.3504
jwalker@rebuildingtogether.org

Natalie Turner
Lowe’s
704.758.5966
Natalie.h.turner@lowes.com

Lynn Buckingham
Rebuilding Together Bergen County
201.692.8282
lynn@rebuildingtogetherbergen.org

Megan Sekkas
Fifteen Minutes
323.556.9700
megan@fifteenminutes.com