PRESS RELEASE DETAIL

For Immediate Release

Release Date: 04/29/2013

C-P Teaming up with Rebuilding Together BR for National Rebuild Weekend

The City-Parish is joining forces with nonprofit Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge to give 62-year-old Karilyn Morris’ 1610 Myrtle Walk home a makeover in observance of National Rebuild Weekend, which begins today.
The City-Parish is providing $2,997.60 in construction supplies for Morris’ home through a Community Development Block Grant, and Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge is providing volunteer labor. The improvements include a new roof that is being installed by Roofers Local 317. The volunteer roofers have already started work on Morris’ home, and plan to finish the project in early May.
Chris Andrews, who is coordinating the Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge projects this weekend, said Morris was selected from a list of applicants based on need.
“Ms. Morris is a lovely and active 62 year old, and she’s lived in this home all her life – she inherited it from her family,” Andrews said. “But she could have never put a roof on that house herself, and of course more problems result when a roof is leaking and other things are deteriorating.”
Andrews noted that Tom Ferriday from Whitney Bank is serving as captain for the work on Morris’ home, which includes other improvements in addition to the new roof.
Just down the street at 1109 Myrtle Walk, another team of Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge volunteers is being led by Jeff Gould of Chase Bank. The home is owned by Janice Folse, and the improvements include new siding, painting, a new kitchen floor and new shelving.
Julie Baxter, who also works with Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge, said work on Morris’ home is one of nine projects that are being performed today for 2013 National Rebuild Day.
“We’ve been doing this since 2004, and today we will be up to 106 projects that have been remodeled,” Baxter said.
Baxter said that Morris is one of the younger homeowners who have benefitted from the program, noting that many are in their 70s and 80s.
# # # # #
Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge is a nonprofit organization that offers home repair services to elderly or disabled low-income homeowners. The organization is supported entirely by contributions of labor, material and money, and is dedicated to repairing homes of those who, due to financial hardship, age, and/or disability, cannot do the work themselves.
To be eligible for consideration in the program, residents must:
• Be at least 62 years old or have someone living in the household who is currently receiving Social Security disability;
• Own and live in the home;
• Have the home insured under a homeowner's policy; and
• Meet low income guidelines per the HUD published guidelines for East Baton Rouge Parish. Income is based on the number of persons living in the household.