Posts by Ted
What are You thankful for?
The Holiday season marks a winding down of the year. Good or bad, the year is ending and a new one is less than a couple months a way. It’s a natural time to reflect on what’s important to us. For us, it’s been a great year and we thank all the volunteers, sponsors, board members and community partners that made it possible. Their generosity has impacted the lives of their San Francisco neighbors and deserve recognition. Read More »
Look Out for Your Elders
My grandmother is currently under the care of distant family members. Unfortunately, I won’t be seeing her this holiday because she currently lives in Philippines. She’s 92, and as stubborn as ever, but a softie when it comes to her grandchildren. I can’t look out for my grandmother, but for those who can, make sure they are not getting taken advantage of.
Mary Twomey, MSW Co-Director at the Center of Excellence in Elder Abuse and Neglect wrote the following informative article packed full of insights regarding elder abuse. As we visit our relatives, look out for the signs Mary mentions.
Deconstruct and Reuse
San Francisco is a wonder to behold architecturally, and it is also a treasure trove beneath the plaster walls and stucco facades. Deconstruction and Reuse Network has been uncovering treasures in the walls and interiors of San Francisco for some time now, and now we will be re-purposing them in low-income homes through a new partnership with Rebuilding Together San Francisco (RTSF) and Deconstruction & Reuse Network (DRN).
Volunteer of the Month! Merle “the Closer” Kovtun
By far, the most rewarding part of my job is the personal connections we get to make, with our volunteers as well as clients, sponsors and community partners. And oooh boy! Our volunteers really know how to have a good time – our projects, events and celebrations always have a lot of joking around, good natured teasing and general snarky-ness. Apparently this is fairly common among trades guys & gals and as one Construction Captain said it best, “to be in this field (trades), you need a sense of humor.”
Get to Know Your Neighbor – Mrs. A
Mrs. A and her husband moved into their home in the Bayvew District of San Francisco in 1944. Over the years they raised 3 children (one who is now deceased), 10 grandchildren, and more than 20 great- and great-great-grandchildren in this home! In fact, Mrs. A’s 3-year old great-great-grandchild and 16-year old great grandchild still spend time living in the home on a regular basis. Mrs. A has seen a lot of changes in her neighborhood. As we stood in front of her house, she mentioned that most of the homes on her block were not even built when they first moved to Hudson Street. Despite so many “new” people in the neighborhood, everyone seems to know Mrs. A and neighbors stopped to say hello and check in on her.
Get the Skinny on ShakeOut
Drop! Cover! And hold on, October 20th is going to rock you. This isn’t like your middle school earthquake drill. At 10:20 am, millions of people will be participating in 2011 Great California ShakeOut. There are also great opportunities to test your disaster preparedness chops locally, in San Francisco. Read More »
An AmeriCorps Adventure: One Month Anniversary
It’s been about a month and a half since Rebuilding Together San Francisco and I have gotten together. It has been a wild ride so far and its only going to get wilder as our Fall Build day approaches. So far the adventure has been full of early mornings, late nights, boat rides, disappearing weekends, dinners, painting, scavenger hunts, Tahitian dancing, sword balancing, rock cover bands, duck hunt, BART rides and capacity building.
Fall Prevention: It’s a hip thing
Fall Prevention: It’s a “hip” thing
By Jonathan Rossall
Home Safety Program Coordinator
Last week I was speaking to Mrs. A about scheduling an appointment when she told me,
“Honey, I’ve just had both hips replaced, so I don’t think I’ll be out and about as much as I used to be.”
When I heard this I thought three things:
- 1: This should be an easy appointment to schedule.
- 2: Ouch! double hip replacement! Man, that’s got to hurt.
- 3: How close have I ever come to breaking my own hip?
Meet Our Hosts: Valerie Coleman
How did you first get involved with RTSF?
I was volunteering in New Orleans with a number of organizations and came back to SF with a gnawing curiosity around repairing homes and rebuilding communities. And after researching local organizations, I realized that RTSF was hiring which just blew me away – I had been looking for months for a nonprofit job that did community based work. It really was meant to be, me and RTSF.
Rebuilding Together and the Ghostbusters
Rebuilding Together and the Ghostbusters
By Jonathan Rossall
Home Safety Program Coordinator
I happened to catch a rerun of Ghostbusters II on Netflix a few weeks ago and I was surprised at how much it reminded me of the work we do here at RTSF. It wasn’t the obvious similarities that caught my attention, like the small eccentric staff working out of a creaky old building, or the fact that Bill Murray is exactly who I would cast to play myself in a movie. What got me is this: both RTSF and the Ghostbusters are resources for people with no where else to turn. If there’s a eight foot tall slimy ghost ransacking your apartment, who else can you really call on besides the Ghostbusters? If your an 85 year old widow living on social security with no relatives living in the area and your front steps are caving in, who can you really call besides Rebuilding Together?
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