Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives

Rebuilding Together East Bay Network is a non-profit organization based in Berkeley California serving Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville and all of Contra Costa County. We coordinate donors and volunteers to meet a critical needs in our community for repairs, renovations, and safety modifications. If you are interested in Volunteering or Donating, there are many projects underway for you to contribute to which you can learn about here. If you are looking for assistance please fill out our application and we will be in contact shortly.

Who we are

Rebuilding Together East Bay Network (RTEBN) is a local nonprofit that preserves affordable home ownership and revitalizes our community by providing free rehabilitation and critical repairs to the homes of income qualified seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. Since our inception in 1992 as “Christmas in April,” we have improved more than 650 homes and 140 Community Facilities in Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany, and Richmond.

RTEBN is an affiliate of Rebuilding Together, a national organization with affiliates in communities across the country. Rebuilding Together and its affiliates complete about 10,000 rebuild projects nationwide each year.

What we do

Rebuilding Together East Bay Network saves lives.  Every year, we assess the homes of local low-income seniors, veterans and people with disabilities, uncovering hidden dangers.  We repair or replace dangerous natural gas appliances, provide smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, install seismic strengthening and repairs to foundations, replace broken windows and doors, make corrections to electrical wiring and fixtures, repair plumbing leaks, and improve the energy efficiency of clients’ homes. We help them reduce clutter and make their homes safer to live in. Where required, we pull permits for work and have the work properly inspected. There are no short-cuts taken.

These vital repairs are funded entirely by grants and donations, both cash and in-kind.  We do not charge homeowners for these repairs, or encourage them to take out loans which they will have to repay.  There are no “strings” attached to our services. This is made possible by the support of local governments, over 1,000 volunteers, and donations from individuals, corporations, private foundations, and small business owners

Why we do it

Many of our neighbors have worked hard all their lives, but now are unable to maintain their homes in safe and secure conditions. Physical disabilities and financial hardship prevent seniors from completing critical repairs needed for their homes, resulting in dangerous living conditions.

Low-income homeowners often have no place to turn to when the roof begins to leak, the front steps crumble, and the heater breaks down. Our goal is to preserve these houses and neighborhoods and assure a warm, dry and safe home for people in need. We firmly believe that disabled and aging homeowners should be able to remain safely in their homes for as long as possible.

We provide the same assistance to local community organizations and nonprofits because we recognize how crucial their support is for so many of our neighbors. We are proud to contribute to their ability to effectively serve people in need right here in our own neighborhood.

We urge you to join our mission, and be a part of our good work.

Team

Our Team

Meet the dedicated individuals behind our mission.

 JW Frye
Executive Director - JW
jw@rtebn.org
Chris Santiago
Director of Construction, Head of GRC - chris@rtebn.org
Bethany Kaufman
Deputy Director
bethany@rtebn.org
Sean Ticknor
Big Skills Program Director
sean@rtebn.org
Danielle Faulkner
Big Skills Senior Program Manager
danielle@rtebn.org
Donnell Jones
Community Lead donnell@rtebn.org
Scarth Locke
Program Director, Social Determinants of Health MSOT, OTD
scarthsmu@rtebn.org
Annika Lackner
Community Sustainability Manager
Fidel Valenzuela
Outreach Coordinator
fidel@rtebn.org
Ron Nardinelli
Gateway Planner
ron@rtbn.org
Melissa Roman
Gateway Manager melissa@rtebn.org
Board

Board of Directors

Margo Schueler
Board President


Retired Water System Construction and Maintenance Superintendent, CE

Suzanna Yeh
Board Vice President

Elder Advocate

Linda Novick
Board Treasurer
Greg VanMechelen
Board Secretary

Architect

Bill Bauer
Board Member

Retired Electrical Engineer

Albert Nahman
Board Member

Owner, Albert Nahman Plumbing and Heating

Linda Woodards
Board Member

Nutrition Specialist, N. Richmond Senior Center

Philip Anderson
Board Member

Retired Owner, HDR Remodeling

Timothy Pakes
Board Member

President, Presynct Technologies

Darrin Rafferty
Board Member

Exceptional Community Member

Peter Read
Board Member

Retired Structural Engineer

Make a Difference Today

Your support helps us provide critical repairs for those in need in our community.