Rebuilding Together's Affiliates and Partners Respond to Natural Disaster in Tennessee

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May 11, 2010, 03:14 ET

WASHINGTON, May 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Due to the unprecedented flooding in Tennessee recently, low-income homeowners have been disproportionately impacted by the devastation. Not only are their homes and personal belongings destroyed, but often they lack the resources and insurance to rebuild once the crisis has passed. Rebuilding Together, the nation's leading nonprofit working to preserve affordable homeownership, will be there once the flood waters have receded. In the coming days and months, local Tennessee based Rebuilding Together affiliates will be assisted by the national office to carry out critical relief efforts.

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The flash flooding that has recently wreaked havoc and disaster in Tennessee, most specifically in the areas stretching from Nashville to Western Tennessee, has greatly impacted countless neighborhoods. The National Office of Rebuilding Together has launched initial outreach to the two Rebuilding Together affiliates in Tennessee – Rebuilding Together Nashville and Rebuilding Together Sparta/White County. Thousands of low-income homeowners were immediately impacted by the natural disaster and will require clean-up, rebuilding and preservation assistance from Rebuilding Together.

"Rebuilding Together's National Office has recognized the urgency of this situation and will direct every effort necessary to help our affiliates access as many resources as possible so that they may assist low-income homeowners who have been adversely affected by this natural disaster," said Gary A. Officer, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together. "As a leading housing organization, we know how critical appropriate response time is needed in the wake of natural disasters – we are willing and able to help homeowners who have experienced great loss as a result of the flooding."

In addition to providing resources and assistance to its Tennessee affiliates, Rebuilding Together is also proactively inviting the public and corporate sponsors to donate to the rebuilding needs of the impacted communities. They intend to raise a continued awareness for this area to ensure that a long-term recovery plan is created and carried out.

Rebuilding Together Nashville has been an affiliate of Rebuilding Together for 16 years and has completed 107 homes with the help of over 3,508 volunteers since its original inception. They have been greatly involved with rebuilding projects in the neighborhoods that have been most affected by the recent floods.

Rebuilding Together also plans to collaborate with its latest national partner, PLAN!T NOW, a severe storm preparedness non-profit co-founded by Morgan Freeman, to provide educational and other supportive resources.

To learn more about Rebuilding Together and its work to assist low-income homeowners, visit their website at www.RebuildingTogether.org

About Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together is the nation's leading nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing extensive rehabilitation and modification services to those in need at no cost to those served. With the help of everyday citizen volunteers, skilled trades people, the support of local business and major corporate partners, Rebuilding Together affiliates in America's largest cities and smallest towns make life considerably better for thousands of low-income homeowners and the communities in which they live by completing 10,000 projects per year. Rebuilding Together has programs dedicated to, energy efficiency, veteran's housing, aging in place and gulf coast reconstruction.

SOURCE Rebuilding Together