Fall Prevention - Rebuilding Together

Volunteer Spotlight: Justin Tirelli Transforms a Bathroom—and a Family’s Daily Life

July 27, 2026

by Leon Rubis

Caring for elderly parents is not easy, especially when lack of mobility turns everyday tasks into major challenges.

After Ms. R’s mother suffered a second stroke, she could no longer walk. Unhappy with the care her mother was receiving in a nursing home, Ms. R and her husband—both retired Arlington County employees—moved her mom, now 93, into their South Arlington home about a year ago.

But lifting her mother into their bathtub to bathe was difficult and risky for Ms. R, 72. In Home Depot she found a kit for cutting out a section of the fiberglass tub to create a lower entry way. “It came out pretty good but it still was not easy for me. I still needed another person to help me.” Her husband, 83, has difficulty walking.

The family resorted to renting hotel rooms with wheelchair acces ible showers for her mother two or three times a month, at a cost of $150-$200 each time.

While cleaning one day, Ms. R rediscovered a page she had printed many years ago from Rebuilding Together-AFF’s website, thinking it might be helpful someday. Desperate for a permanent solution, she called RT and asked for help.

A custom solution

“Our mission was to create a wheelchair-accessible shower,” says Justin Tirelli, a volunteer with bathroom remodeling experience who planned and led work on the project. “It was an unorthodox way of doing it, but we cut the tub out, installed a new shower pan and drain,” and sealed the remaining fiberglass walls to the new basin.

Aided by volunteers Marvin Greenberg and Gene Skotzko, the team completed the project in just two days, “amazingly” encountering no hidden problems such as mold, rotten wood or leaks.

Ms. R is “ecstatic” with the rebuilt shower now safely usable by both her mother and husband.

Justin said the shower reduces the risk of injury to both women and saves the family money and time. “It was very labor intensive just to get her mom out of the home into the car and then into a hotel.”

Firefighting and moonlighting

This project—more extensive than most RT-AFF repair jobs—and some other recent bathroom repairs were made possible by Tirelli’s unique expertise. As an Arlington County firefighter since 2000, Tirelli often worked the standard 24-hour shift alternating with days off. The schedule allowed him to take part-time construction jobs in which he picked up skills, starting with his first fire captain’s remodeling business.

In 2015, he began his own bathroom remodeling business for a few years until the combined workload became too demanding.

While Ms. R’s bathroom overhaul was more than most families need, it exemplifies RT-AFF’s mission to help people maintain safe homes, age in place and cope with disabilities. Bathroom grab bars, stair rails, exterior ramps, better lighting, and removal of tripping hazards are frequent improvements the organization makes at no cost to eligible clients.

Now a battalion chief responsible for training Arlington firefighters, Tirelli says one of his favorite things about working with RT-AFF is passing on his knowledge. “I love working with people who don’t know how to do this stuff and I can show them some of the things I do.”

He encourages interested people to try out RT’s flexible volunteer opportunities even if they lack do-it-yourself skills. “These kinds of projects are some of the most fulfilling things you can ever do. If anybody wants to do something and learn a little bit, this is a great way to do that.”

Team Leader Profile – Gordon Meuse

July 27, 2026

Builder of Skyscrapers now Rebuilds Homes

Few people have helped shape the Washington, D.C.-area’s built environment as much as Gordon Meuse. From 1979 to 2015, Gordon served as construction manager, field engineer, project manager and other roles for the Charles E. Smith Cos. and affiliated contractors.

Among the many projects he helped build are CityCenterDC, the Secret Service headquarters and FBI field office in downtown D.C.; the Georgia Ave.-Petworth Metro Station; Worldgate Centre in Herndon, Va.; University Center in Ashburn, Va.; and a dozen buildings in Crystal City, in Arlington, Va.

Now as a Rebuilding Together-AFF team leader, Gordon assesses needed repairs at clients’ homes, assembles needed supplies and tools, and supervises volunteer teams’ work.

From military bases to Michigan Tech

A winding path led Gordon to Washington and his impressive construction career. He was born in Meridian, Miss., where his dad was a senior master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. When his father was stationed in El Salvador, he began elementary school there and learned to read, write and speak Spanish. After three years, the family moved to an Air Force base in Florida, but Gordon’s father died when he was 10.

When his mother remarried another Air force sergeant, later assignments took them to Oklahoma, Panama and finally Michigan.

Gordon became a civil engineer almost by chance. As the oldest of five siblings who always worked part-time to help the family make ends meet, he did not expect to go to college. Then, just a month before high school graduation, a letter from the Veterans Administration informed them that a review of his late father’s service entitled the family to full VA benefits, including college tuition. His high school counselor told him, “At this late date, the only place I think you can possibly get into is Michigan Technological University. And we decided on civil engineering.”

During college, Gordon joined the Peace Corps and, after graduating, he and his first wife were sent to Venezuela, where he served for two years doing land surveys, building two housing subdivisions, and teaching in high school.

Gordon worked six more years in Venezuela for the large engineering and construction firm Guinand & Brillembourg, building grain silos, industrial plants and other large projects. “The day I walked onto that [first] job site was my first day on a construction site with probably 500 workers,” he recalls. “And it was just neat. I just fell right into it.”

“We had no subcontractors. We did our own plumbing, electrical work, made and poured concrete. I learned how to do everything there.”

In 1978, Gordon, his wife and two sons returned to the U.S. and he began working as a surveyor for Greenhorne & O’Mara until joining Charles E. Smith the next year.

Cycling through volunteerism

In his spare time, Gordon is an avid long-distance cyclist, often riding 60 miles. In the 1990s, he cycled 750-mile round trips between Boston and Montreal and Paris and Brest. His wife Kay was a competitive cyclist. In her first USA Cycling national tournament in 2006, she won all three of her races (time trial, criterium and road race) in the 55-to-59 age group. She won at least one race annually for the next decade and is an 11-time national champion.

The couple also volunteers at Arlington’s Virginia Hospital Center, where Gordon is a wheelchair escort and Kay, a former nurse, works in the emergency department.

Gordon also used his skills to upgrade a community gardening plot run by Allen Chapel AME Church in Southeast D.C. With the Howard University chapter of Engineers Without Borders and other community groups, Gordon helped design and build raised garden beds, accessible paths and an irrigation system. He returns each fall to drain the irrigation pipes and each spring to restart them. For his efforts, Gordon earned the 2022 Community Service Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers National Capital Section.

A few years ago, Gordon discovered RT-AFF on the Volunteer Arlington website. RT “sounded custom made for things I like to do. There are a lot of new activities that you have to look into and figure out, so I feel like it keeps me mentally sharper.”

His most memorable projects include building wheelchair ramps and replacing sinking sub-floors in mobile homes.

Despite his extensive construction background, Gordon tells potential RT volunteers that “experience is not needed at all. Just get out there and start doing what they have you do and ask any questions you need to ask. You’ll learn how to do it.”

11th Street Bridge Park community garden

https://www.ewb-dc.org/projects/washington-dc/

2022 ASCE Community Service Award (p.5)

https://www.asce-ncs.org/images/newsletters/2022/ncs-nl-202205.pdf

A Community Comes Together to Help a Neighbor Age Safely at Home

July 2, 2026

For more than 30 years, Mr. J’s Arlington house has been the center of family life. It is where he and his late wife raised five daughters, welcomed grandchildren, and built a lifetime of memories. As he got older, Parkinson’s disease made mobility more challenging and maintaining the home and safely navigating its stairs and bathrooms became increasingly difficult.

After learning about Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church (RT-AFF), Mr. J’s family reached out for help. What followed was a multi-phase project coordinated by RT-AFF that brought together our longtime partner St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Mr. J’s family, contractors, and skilled RT-AFF volunteers to make the home safer, healthier, and more accessible.

The first phase took place on National Rebuilding Day when volunteers from St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, including contractors who helped lead the more complex repairs and modifications. St. Peter’s has partnered with RT-AFF for 35 years, and church member Bruce Jolly was one of RTAFF’s founding board members. Their longstanding commitment to serving neighbors in need continues to strengthen our work together.

As Bruce reflected afterward, “What made this year’s RT-AFF/St. Peter’s experience special? Every year is special—but this time, the homeowner’s five daughters, along with spouses, grandchildren, and even one great-grandchild (far too young to help), all showed up and pitched in.”

St. Peter’s volunteers contributed more than 130 hours of service. Team leaders and skilled volunteers spent many hours before National Rebuilding Day planning the project, designing the ramp, ordering materials, and coordinating the day to make the greatest possible impact.

St. Peter’s volunteers and Mr. J’s family members worked together to clear years of accumulated items from all three floors of the home. The St. Peter’s team also repaired kitchen cabinets, installed appliances, replaced a basement sliding door, repaired railings, improved drainage, completed landscaping, installed a new storm door, and built a wheelchair ramp to reduce fall risks. Volunteers also demolished a deteriorated deck and prepared the site for a future replacement.

One family member shared that they had tried for years to address many of the home’s challenges but simply couldn’t keep up with the growing list of repairs. Seeing a team of volunteers accomplish so much in a single day was both emotional and inspiring.

The project also created opportunities for learning and connection. Experienced St. Peter’s volunteers mentored newer participants throughout the day, sharing skills while working side by side—a reminder that volunteering builds confidence, skills, and community.

The work did not end on National Rebuilding Day. Through funding from Arlington County, a contractor completed a full bathroom renovation, replacing an outdated tub with a walk-in shower designed to meet Mr. J’s changing needs.

Finally, a team of skilled RT-AFF volunteers installed a stairlift along with grab bars to help Mr. J safely access the stairlift, along with grab bars in the bathroom and powder room. These important accessibility modifications will help Mr. J move through his home with greater confidence and independence.

Today, the home is safer, more functional, and better equipped to support Mr. J as he ages in place. More importantly, the project demonstrates what is possible when a dedicated partner, volunteers, donors and contractors come together around a shared purpose. Through careful planning and multiple phases of work, RTAFF was able to help Mr. J remain safely and comfortably in the home where he raised his family while giving his loved ones greater piece of mind.

Helping neighbors live safely in their own homes—the homes they love and the neighborhoods that matter to them—is at the heart of our mission. This project is a powerful example of what can happen when a community comes together to care for one another.

Thank you to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church for 35 years of partnership and for your continued commitment to helping neighbors in need.

Please visit our Flickr to see more photos of St. Peter’s team in action on National Rebuilding Day.

Team Leader Profile – Don Booth

April 16, 2026

From Rebuilding War‑Torn Countries to Repairing Local Homes

Retired diplomat Don Booth learned as a child to appreciate the world’s nations and cultures.

When he was 4, his mother and stepfather—both engineers for Aramco—moved the family from New Jersey to Saudi Arabia. During vacations the future Rebuilding Together-AFF team leader visited London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Beirut and beyond, “so I knew there was a bigger world out there.”

And he gained interpersonal skills that would support his impressive foreign service career. “As an only child, I probably spent more time than most kids in an adult environment,” he recalls. “At one point, my dad said, ‘You’re very diplomatic.’ ”

Don moved at age 9 to Medfield, Mass., where he graduated from high school. He attended Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, earning a bachelor’s degree in foreign service with a major in international economics in 1976.

After passing the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service exams, he was assigned to Gabon in west Africa. After three months he helped orient a new arrival—another foreign service officer named Anita—and two years later they married.

The couple had a succession of challenging State Department assignments in Liberia, Belgium, Romania and Greece, interspersed with jobs in Washington, D.C., where Don worked on Sudan, Uganda, Egypt and trade policy. He served as deputy director for Southern African Affairs, director of West African Affairs, and in the Bureau of International Organizations dealing with specialized agencies of the United Nations.

While in Belgium, Don earned a master’s in business administration through Boston University, and in Washington earned a master’s in national security studies from the National War College.

In 2005, President Bush appointed him U.S. ambassador to Liberia, where he helped rebuild institutions after 14 years of civil war. He was appointed U.S. ambassador to Zambia in 2008-10, and to Ethiopia in 2010-13. In 2013, President Obama asked him to be special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, reporting to the president. After retiring in 2017, he was asked to return in 2019 as special envoy to Sudan—this time for the State Department—until retiring again in 2021.

Dangerous missions

Despite common perceptions that diplomats enjoy a life hosting receptions and ceremonies, Don and his family survived a number of harrowing experiences.

In 1982, Don, a colleague and a driver were dispatched to verify reports of a massacre at a remote Catholic mission in Uganda. En route, they were questioned at a checkpoint by skeptical soldiers who confiscated some of their supplies. Later they were stopped by soldiers who locked them in a dark hut before telling them, “You’re in luck today! The radio to Kampala worked and they said you’re OK—we don’t have to shoot you.” Finally, a commander in a town near the mission offered them a nighttime escort along a dirt road, startling them with gratuitous machine-gun fire from his two Jeeps. At the mission, Italian priests recounted how Idi Amin’s forces had killed civilians but spared the mission.

During the 1989 Romanian revolution, opposing forces traded gunfire outside the Booths’ home. They barricaded their windows with furniture until an embassy driver reached them during a brief lull. Don had to venture into the streets to report on the fighting, then evacuated with his children—then 2, 4, and 6—in a convoy that came under fire while racing to safety in Bulgaria. Anita, head of the embassy’s management section, remained in Bucharest until the family could be reunited in Romania.

Diplomats, Don notes, do “a lot of serious work engaging with people—some of whom are not inclined to be friendly—to try to get them to do things we want. And we often succeed at that.” What happens overseas affects the United States, he emphasizes. “Helping people to live peacefully and productively in their own country means you have a lot less immigration pressure.” With Africa projected to have 40 percent of the world’s working-age population by 2050, “They can either be productive in their own continent and develop it, or they can pick up guns and fight civil wars and force more people to flee.”

In retirement, Don remains active in foreign affairs with consulting, writing, lecturing and doing special projects for the Woodrow Wilson Center, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and other professional organizations. For Diplomats Without Borders, he’s travelled to Kenya three times to support the Austrian Center for Peace’s efforts to unify civilian political groups’ efforts to stop Sudan’s civil war—currently the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

And Don and Anita continue to travel, planning upcoming trips to Singapore, Indonesia, France and Switzerland, and visiting their three children and two grandchildren.

From global affairs to home repairs

So how did a globe-trotting career diplomat acquire advanced home repair skills? That, too, started as a child learning from his stepdad, a “putterer” with woodworking equipment who liked to fix and build things. In junior high and high school, Don enjoyed wood shop classes.

In 2017 he started volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, where another volunteer told him about RT-AFF and he joined in 2022. Now, as one of 10 volunteer team leaders, he assesses needed repairs at clients’ homes, prepares work plans, assembles needed supplies and tools, and supervises a team’s work.

Volunteering with RT-AFF “is a way to meet some great people, learn skills you can apply in your own house, and feel like you’re helping people, that you’re making a difference,” Don says. “It’s giving back in a way that I can see what we’re accomplishing. My mother always stressed that you’re put on this planet to try to make it a better place.”

Links:

Obama names special envoy for South Sudan and Sudan

https://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/08/28/obama-names-special-envoy-sudan-south-sudan/2725177/

U.S. sends envoy to Sudan to defuse crisis amid reports of rapes during military crackdown

https://abcnews.com/International/us-sends-envoy-sudan-defuse-crisis-amid-reports/story?id=63670823

Breaking the Deadlock in Sudan

https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/breaking-deadlock-sudan

From a Cooling Crisis to a Safe and Healthy Home

March 26, 2026

Last August, a referral from Fairfax County’s Senior Cool Care program led us to Ms. S, an extremely low income condo owner facing the peak of summer without air conditioning. Although she had received a portable AC unit through Cool Care, she wasn’t able to install it on her own. That’s when our AC Rescue team stepped in.

When our AC Rescue team arrived, what began as a simple cooling fix quickly revealed a much larger need. Not only was the AC unit not in use, but nearly half of the condo’s electrical outlets weren’t working. After some careful troubleshooting, our team discovered tripped breakers and restored power that same day—bringing immediate relief as we installed the portable AC and cooled the home for the first time in months.

But the challenges didn’t stop there.

At the same time, other serious issues were impossible to miss. The condo had sustained significant damage from a water leak in the unit above—leaving holes in the ceilings, missing baseboards, and carpeting pulled up in an attempt to dry it out. It was clear Ms. S needed more than a quick AC unit install; she needed a safe and healthy home.

Our RT Express team quickly mobilized, assessing the home and developing a comprehensive plan. Over the following weeks, 12 volunteers worked together for 124 hours to transform the condo—patching and painting ceilings, repairing plumbing, and restoring functionality to the kitchen with a new garbage disposal, dishwasher, microwave, and lighting. In the bathroom, grab bars were installed for safety, while damaged flooring in the entryway was replaced and LED bulbs were installed in all light fixtures. Carpeting was refastened, and new baseboards brought the space back together.

Meanwhile, our AC Rescue program brought in a contractor to evaluate the central air system, which was ultimately deemed too old to repair. By combining available funding sources, we were able to take the unusual step of replacing the exterior unit entirely—ensuring Ms. S now has reliable, whole-condo cooling in time for the summer ahead.

In total, our volunteers resolved 10 critical health and safety issues, bringing Ms. S’s home into alignment with all 25 of Rebuilding Together’s Health and Safety Priorities.

What began as a call for help with a single air conditioner became a comprehensive effort to restore a safe, healthy, and comfortable home—with critical cooling support ensuring Ms. S is also protected from heat-related illness.

Thanks to your support, her home is now a place of safety and stability—and with summer around the corner, she can stay cool, secure, and at ease.

Safer Homes, Stronger Communities: Our 2025 Impact in Fairfax County

March 11, 2026

“When homes are safe and accessible, residents can remain independent, secure, and connected to the communities they call home.”

At Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church (RT-AFF), our mission is simple but powerful: help neighbors live in safe, healthy homes. Through our 2025 contract with Fairfax County’s Department of Housing and Community Development, we provided critical home repairs and accessibility modifications that allow low-income homeowners—especially older adults and residents with disabilities—to remain safely in the homes they love.

Our Year One Contract Report highlights the impact of this work across Fairfax County. In 2025, RT-AFF completed a total of 1,070 repairs for 113 low-income homeowners, addressing health and safety hazards and helping residents remain independent and secure in their homes.

The repairs completed ranged from relatively small but life-changing improvements—such as grab bars, improved lighting, and smoke alarms—to larger projects like wheelchair ramps, appliance replacements, and even roof and HVAC system replacements.

Each repair is part of a comprehensive assessment designed to improve safety, accessibility, and overall housing stability.

The homeowners served reflect the populations most vulnerable to housing-related risks. Many are older adults, people living with disabilities, and households with limited incomes who face barriers to maintaining their homes on their own.

By addressing safety hazards and accessibility needs, these repairs help residents remain in place and reduce the risk of injury, displacement, or housing instability.

This work is made possible through the dedication of volunteers, partners, and supporters who contribute thousands of hours and resources each year. Together, they help ensure that critical repairs reach those who need them most.

We invite you to explore the Year One Contract Report to learn more about the repairs completed, the households served, and the community partnerships that make this work possible.

Volunteers Build a Lifeline: A Ramp That Makes Home Safe Again

February 11, 2026

The front steps of Ms. C’s mobile home in Alexandria were rotting beneath her feet. With limited mobility, she climbed them carefully, afraid of falling. Then her adult daughter moved back home after developing a serious medical condition that required frequent hospital visits and caused severe dizzy spells. Suddenly, both mother and daughter urgently needed a safer way to get in and out of their home—one that would meet their needs now and in the future.

Ms. C and her daughter called Rebuilding Together–AFF to ask whether we build wheelchair ramps. We did—and even better, we had a donated 40-foot aluminum ramp and rails in our storeroom that could work for their home. A site visit by staff and volunteers confirmed the property could accommodate an ADA-compliant ramp.

But this project was anything but simple. Because of the height of the mobile home’s front door, replacing the failing steps with a sturdy platform and new steps required a building permit. An air conditioning compressor in the yard further complicated the platform’s design.

Our staff and volunteers mobilized quickly. A new volunteer with CAD expertise created the site plan and initial drawings, while another volunteer with decades of experience navigating permits and inspections developed multiple versions of the plans for county review. Approval to use the existing concrete slab for three of the platform’s posts required a professional engineer’s load calculations. Thanks to our past board chair Scott Brideau, we secured this $1,000 analysis pro bono.

Additional hurdles remained. Gaining approval from Fairfax County for the twelve ramp posts to rest on footpads and pavers, rather than traditional concrete footers, required close coordination with the ramp manufacturer and ongoing communication throughout the permitting process. When the permit was approved, it marked a major milestone and a moment of celebration for our entire team.

We took full advantage of unseasonably warm days in early January. Over five workdays, volunteers dug three footers, built the platform and steps, assembled the ramp and rails, and passed county inspections for footers, framing, and final approval. In total, fifteen volunteers contributed 169 hours to make this ramp a reality. Special thanks to Bill Marshall, Marvin Greenberg, Jim Dillon, and Lou Wood for leading the design and construction and supporting our staff throughout the project.

Today, Ms. C and her daughter can safely come and go from their home with confidence. And our work isn’t finished. Once the snow melts, another Rebuilding Together–AFF team will return to repair a fallen gutter and downspout and complete additional health and safety repairs inside their home.

Ramp under construction

completed ramp

Team Leader Profile – David Throckmorton

February 9, 2026

Aerospace Engineer Brings Skills Down to Earth

Repairing homes isn’t rocket science, but Rebuilding Together-AFF Team Leader David Throckmorton has made good use of his aerospace career.

Inspired by the Apollo moon missions while growing up in Richmond and Charlottesville, Va., David majored in aerospace engineering at Virginia Tech and later earned a master’s in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins.

As a civilian employee of the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command and the Defense Department’s Missile Defense Agency, David worked on developing the F-35 and F-18 fighter jets and advanced GPS-guided bombs. As a systems integrator, he worked with defense contractors’ mechanical and electrical engineers to ensure that the jets, their weapons and other components worked smoothly together.

Later as a program manager for the Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, he worked with contractors developing ground vibration sensors for border areas that could distinguish between human and animal footsteps.

The experience managing complex projects has served David well since becoming an RT-AFF Team Leader in 2024. Team leaders do assessments of needed repairs at clients’ homes, prepare work plans, assemble needed supplies and tools, and supervise a team’s work. In 2025, David took on additional responsibilities assessing homes needing stairlifts, scheduling the work, and managing installations with Lou Wood, an RT-AFF volunteer who refurbishes donated stairlifts.

Wide-ranging volunteering

Since retiring in 2016, David has volunteered for a diverse variety of community services in addition to RT-AFF.

“After retirement, I wanted to do things with my hands and things that challenged my brain,” he says. That desire led to serving four years on a backup call center for the national suicide hotline—staffing an early morning shift on Tuesdays—and one year with the Fairfax County domestic violence hotline. He also tutored students at the Fairfax County Adult High School.

David has volunteered for eight years teaching computer skills for Northern Virginia Family Services Training Futures, which provides office skills and career training. And he helps his wife Debbie, who co-manages a food pantry at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Annandale.

David’s many volunteer activities earned him a 2024 Privilege Award for Outstanding Community Service from the Bernie L. Bates Foundation. The awards recognize Fairfax citizens who embody the values of the late Marion “Barney” Barnwell, a longtime RT-AFF board member and volunteer with many other Northern Virginia nonprofits

Like many RT-AFF volunteers, David acquired do-it-yourself skills working on his home—an Alexandria, Va., condo where he remodeled the kitchen and bathroom. He first volunteered for the Alexandria Rebuilding Together chapter, then transferred to RT-AFF in 2021 when the Alexandria chapter paused operations during the Covid pandemic.

What initially attracted David to Rebuilding Together was “doing hands-on stuff, but the other part of it was I get to do things for folks my parents’ age that I can’t do for them because they live 100 miles away.”

Removing trip hazards on stairs, porches and decks are among the most useful repairs made for clients, he says. “It’s amazing to me how much a second handrail [on stairs] means to people. I’ve done it for my sister-in-law and parents. I recommend to anybody: Before you start thinking about moving, put in a second handrail.” Stairlifts are also impactful, especially in older Arlington homes where the bathroom is upstairs.

What David finds most gratifying about volunteering for RT-AFF is “the homeowners’ thank-you’s at the end. The folks we help cannot really afford these improvements and are just so appreciative of everything we do.

“It’s enjoyable just to be out with the team of people. You get to learn some stuff, and you get to help somebody.”

three photos of David working

Links:

Behind the Scenes with Lou Wood – RT-AFF Stair Lift Expert

https://rebuildingtogether-aff.org/behind-the-scenes-with-lou-wood-rt-aff-stair-lift-expert/

Fairfax County Adult High School

https://www.fcps.edu/academics/alternative-and-nontraditional-schools/fairfax-county-adult-high-school

Northern Virginia Family Services Training Futures

https://www.nvfs.org/assistance/training-futures

St. Matthew’s Ken Jackson Food Closet

https://www.stmatthewsumc.org/mission

The 3rd Annual Privilege Awards and Community Recognition Celebration

https://www.blbinc.org/post/the-3rd-annual-privilege-awards-and-community-recognition-celebration

2025 Year in Review

January 14, 2026

As we begin 2026, we’re taking a moment to look back on the progress, partnerships, and people that shaped our work throughout 2025. Our 2025 Year in Review captures the milestones we reached together and the impact made possible through the collective efforts of our community. We’re proud to share this with you—stories and data that reflect not only what we accomplished, but why it matters as we move forward.

Bill Marshall’s Impact at Rebuilding Together AFF

February 6, 2025

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.

Celebrating our 500th Rebuilding Together Express Project

February 6, 2025

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.

In 2014, we faced a pressing challenge: many homeowners in need of minor repairs and safety modifications couldn’t wait months for National Rebuilding Day or for a match with a corporate team. Recognizing the urgency, we used seed funding from The Falls Church Episcopal to develop a faster, more efficient solution. With additional support from the Northern Virginia Health Foundation, we defined, tested, and refined what became Rebuilding Together Express (RT Express)—a program designed to deliver essential health and safety repairs and accessibility modifications for people with disabilities and older people who want to age in place.

How RT Express Works:

Small teams of 4-5 volunteers dedicate 4-5 hours and about $400-$500 in materials to provide a range of approximately 40 common home modifications and repairs. These repairs are tailored to each homeowner’s needs and based on a thorough assessment of the home. RT Express enables Rebuilding Together-AFF to respond more quickly to homeowners facing urgent risks, such as falls or other safety concerns.

The Key to Success: Volunteer Team Leaders

Our volunteer team leaders are the cornerstone of RT Express. They:

Conduct home assessments with staff.
Develop realistic scopes of work.
Purchase materials and assemble tools.
Coordinate repairs while ensuring safety for both homeowners and volunteers.
Track project outcomes.

After years of relying on six dedicated team leaders, we expanded their ranks to 10 in early 2024, ensuring we can meet growing demand. Our Team Leaders are pictured above.

Recognition and Growth:

In 2018, RT-AFF earned the Commonwealth Council on Aging’s top statewide Best Practices Award for RT Express. Since then, we’ve expanded the program to include additional services such as installing stairlifts and building wheelchair ramps.

Our volunteers describe RT Express projects as deeply fulfilling, while the homeowners we serve express their gratitude with heartfelt hugs and words of appreciation.

Multi-year sponsorships by West Financial Services and Sandy Spring Bank have sustained RT Express and supported its steady growth.

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Bard teaching Chloe how to install a wired smoke/co alarm

Don, Bob and Mrs. W with her new railing

2024 in Review

January 2, 2025

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible volunteers, partners, and donors for making our 2024 fiscal year a resounding success. Together, we are building safer, more affordable, and thriving communities for neighbors in need.

In FY2023, our volunteers contributed an astounding 6,200 hours to complete 117 projects, benefiting 176 individuals living in 110 homes and supporting six non-profit housing organizations. The value of this donated labor amounts to $361,800.

Remarkably, 93% of the households we assisted qualify as Very Low or Extremely Low income—families, older adults and people with disabilities who could never afford these essential repairs and modifications without your support.

We couldn’t achieve this impact without you. Take a moment to explore our Year in Review and see how your contributions—whether time, funds, or partnerships—are transforming lives and creating a lasting community impact.

Here’s to another year of meaningful change, together!