Bill Marshall’s Impact at Rebuilding Together AFF
After retiring from a successful home-building career, Bill Marshall was eager for a new way to channel his energy and expertise. He found the perfect fit with Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church (RT-AFF) through Volunteer Arlington and quickly became a dedicated member of our Rebuilding Together Express (RT Express) program. Bill’s extensive background in construction and business management made an immediate difference and he became an active member of our Board of Directors as well as Chair of the Program Committee. During his six-year tenure on the Board, he played a vital role in shaping RT-AFF’s repair and modification initiatives.
“Bill was instrumental in leading RT-AFF’s repair program through the pandemic,” said Executive Director Patti Klein. “He worked in partnership with staff to develop a solid plan to implement COVID safety protocols, allowing a small group of our most experienced RT Express volunteers to continue making critical home repairs for those in need.”
Beyond his leadership on the board, Bill has worked on more than 120 homes, improving the lives of countless neighbors. He has also designed and led teams in building more than 15 wheelchair ramps—one of the most transformative modifications for homeowners with mobility challenges.
Bill was especially touched by a project he led in Arlington, where a team of volunteers modified a bathroom in a small home to make it fully accessible for twins with disabilities. This transformation gave them the independence to use the bathroom on their own as they grew into their teen years.
Reflecting on his service, Bill shared, “I am grateful for my time on the RT-AFF board. My experience running my own construction business and serving on other boards allowed me to contribute meaningfully. The Jesuits in high school instilled in me the belief that we should be ‘men (and women) for others,’ and I’m proud to uphold that value with this incredible organization.”
Though stepping down from the board, Bill remains deeply committed to RT-AFF’s mission. As an RT Express team leader, he’s continuing to roll up his sleeves to help homeowners in need. “It’s amazing what a small group of volunteers can accomplish in just a few hours with a few hundred dollars in materials,” he said. “I’m constantly impressed by the impact we make, the camaraderie we share, and the dedication of everyone involved.”
We are incredibly grateful for Bill’s leadership and ongoing contributions. His work continues to make a lasting difference, and we look forward to seeing him in action with our RT Express program for years to come.
Rebuilding Together-AFF recently celebrated the completion of its 500th RT Express project, a significant milestone for a program that now makes up two-thirds of our total work. The steady need for repairs within our standard RT Express service list has not only allowed us to assist more homeowners but has also helped us build a dedicated base of individual volunteers. These volunteers contribute regularly and continually hone their skills, becoming highly proficient in delivering our most common repairs.
National Rebuilding Day included a variety of rewarding projects undertaken by our faith and corporate partners, including the work King of Kings Lutheran Church accomplished for Mr. W. in Centreville Mr. W. is a Marine Corps veteran who was stationed at Paris Island and Quantico before becoming a business owner in our area. He took care of his wife for many years until she passed away in 2020. Mr. W. took pride in his home but in recent years due to health issues and lack of financial resources he couldn’t keep up with the mounting maintenance and repairs needed to continue to live safely in his home of 56 years.
Bredow recruited volunteers from Fairfax United Methodist and Christ Presbyterian Churches to partner with his church. In total, 35 volunteers with a range of skills worked over two weekends to make Mr. W’s home safer. The first weekend a smaller group of volunteers cleared out extensive debris from a tree-damaged back porch.
With this much work to do, the team ended up spending 10 hours at the house on National Rebuilding Day (NRD), plus additional hours preparing materials and removing debris the week prior to NRD. You can see how our generous volunteers participated in the work with enthusiasm and smiles:
Volunteers from Fannie Mae joined RT-AFF to help Pedro and Ana during Fannie Mae’s SERVE impact month. The team of volunteers were excited to get out from behind their computers and help make Pedro and Ana’s home safe and take care of deferred maintenance. Pedro had been a handyman and took a lot of pride in maintaining their home but due to severe health problems he had to stop working and was no longer able to continue to tackle the maintenance issues.
Delia dotes over her husband John, a veteran who served during the Korean War and continued to serve state-side for many years until he became disabled. Delia and John have lived in their home for 35 years. Now that John uses a walker and wheelchair their home was not safe for him to navigate – especially the front covered porch where he loves to spend time during nice weather. There was a huge step down from the front door to the old concrete porch and John could not get out of their home without assistance, or get to the driveway so Delia could take him to doctor’s appointments.
