Rebuilding Together and Sears Renovate the Little Ferry Hook & Ladder Company After Hurricane Sandy Devastation

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Feb 26, 2013, 09:26 ET

LITTLE FERRY, N.J., Feb. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rebuilding Together, a Safe and Healthy Housing organization that believes Community Starts at Home, Sears and its Heroes at Home program, several local businesses, skilled trades persons, and local firefighters will join together tomorrow in Bergen County to reveal the newly renovated Little Ferry Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 station, which was devastated after Hurricane Sandy's waters surged up to three feet in the firehouse.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090421/REBUILDINGLOGO)

The Little Ferry Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1, Main Street's bravest since 1921, has dutifully protected its community for almost a century. The devastation from the hurricane made it very difficult for the firefighters to properly serve the community. After the storm surge, the entire building had to be gutted.

Rebuilding Together Bergen County brought together many volunteers, some of whom were local firefighters, and rebuilt the interior of the Little Ferry Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1, which involved electrical work, framing, tile, sheetrock/painting, kitchen installation, and replacing two bathrooms. Also, volunteers from Rotary District 7490 and IBEW Local 164's electricians donated hundreds of hours of service.

With a generous donation from the Sears Heroes at Home program and the dedication of the volunteers, the building will be re-opened and available for media tours on Wednesday, February 27, 10 a.m. at the station located at 124 Main Street in Little Ferry.

"We know that communities are still hurting from Super Storm Sandy," said Ron Boire, executive vice president, chief merchandising officer and president, Sears and Kmart Formats. "Alongside Rebuilding Together, we are committed to helping communities return to a sense of normalcy in the coming months. It's encouraging to see whole communities pitch in for the effort – we hope the work we're contributing to will continue to inspire others to help."

Additional funding was received from Rotary District 7490; the Borough of Little Ferry and the Little Ferry Volunteer Fire Department also pitched in to make the renovations possible.

"Rebuilding Together is honored to work alongside our bravest men and women to restore the Little Ferry Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 station," said John L. Fiegel, interim president and CEO of Rebuilding Together. "We appreciate the generosity of Sears, not just in the aftermath of Super Storm Sandy, but as a true partner who believes we can rebuild our communities, house by house, block by block, community by community."

"In addition to the tremendous financial and volunteer support from Sears and Rebuilding Together Bergen County, The Little Ferry Hook and Ladder Co. No 1 also thanks the following companies that gave in-kind donations or significant discounts for repairs, which made the restoration of the firehouse possible: Egyed General Contracting for framing, drywall; Ulrich Kitchens; Kuiken Brothers; Norton's Paint; Feldman Electric; OC Floor Gallery; Mohawk Tile; and, Stone Surfaces; and, Creative Bath Sales," said Fire Chief John Ruff.

About Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), is a leading broadline retailer providing merchandise and related services and is part of SHOP YOUR WAY, a social shopping experience where members have the ability to earn points and receive benefits across a wide variety of physical and digital formats through ShopYourWay.com. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,000 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes over 810 Full-line and more than 1,270 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com, and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End -- among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 11 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.

About Sears Heroes at Home

The Sears Heroes at Home program has helped hundreds of deserving military families by raising more than $23 million to support the rebuilding of more than 1,100 homes to-date. Heroes at Home addresses a critical need for an alarming number of veterans who are struggling to make ends meet and who live in substandard housing. Additional information is available at www.sears.com/heroesathome

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 nearly 200 local affiliates complete 10,000 rebuild projects a year thanks to the efforts of about 200,000 volunteers from corporate partners, skilled trade professionals and everyday good citizens. Join us — visit www.RebuildingTogether.org.

About Rebuilding Together Bergen County:

Founded in 1998, Rebuilding Together Bergen County (RTBC) has provided assistance to more than 250 low-income homeowners in 45 municipalities. Its core home-repair work focuses on home safety, energy efficiency, and accessibility for seniors, the disabled, veterans, and families with children. In addition, RTBC renovates community centers and non-profit facilities that serve similar populations. Since Super Storm Sandy, RTBC is also addressing the needs of residents whose primary homes were damaged during the storm. For more information, call 201-447-8886 or visit http://www.rebuildingtogetherbergen.org/.

SOURCE Rebuilding Together