Repairs and improvements to a single-family home in Mountlake Terrace was the subject of an intensive one-day project last Saturday, April 9, undertaken by fifty Safeway volunteers as part of the “Rebuilding Together Nation” program. In an effort to help others live independently in warmth and safety, Rebuilding Together Seattle focuses on providing low-income homes and non-profit facilities with critical repairs, modifications and energy-efficient upgrades at no cost to the individuals served.

The volunteer project included new flooring, windows, insulation, kitchen appliances, electric work, clutter removal, a new fence and a new roof. The Mountlake Terrace family with two children, one who faces physically and developmental disabilities was one of only a few hundred such projects for families in need nationwide. In addition, Mountlake Terrace City staff donated $250 to the family for four months of water and sewer payments.

In November, Shannon and Gabe applied to Rebuilding Together Seattle in hopes of providing a warm and safe home for their children. In a letter to RTS explaining their family’s circumstances, Shannon wrote: “My son has many issues requiring medications and tube feeding to keep him healthy. Currently he has no heat in his room, no finished walls, and sleeps on a fold out mat on the floor of his room. The projects [at home] have piled up on us. We struggle with finding the time and resources to do the repairs.”