We met Terrie when she became a Tool Library member. Recently, she inherited a home that turned out to need repairs that were beyond her reach. For example, when Terrie removed the old and worn carpet, she found a disaster beneath. The floors were caked with both dirt and a hard muddy substance that would require more than just a little elbow grease. She could neither afford to pay someone to complete the repairs nor afford the tools necessary to do them herself. Thanks to the RTCO Tool Library, Terrie was able to borrow a drum sander, edger, staple remover and shop vac; remove the damaged floors and reveal the gorgeous hard wood floors beneath. This removed many dangerous trip hazards and potential for mold or rot. Along with interior repairs, she has been able to maintain the exterior of her home with some of the many landscaping tools we have available. Terrie is just one of many Franklin County residents that will be improving their quality of life using tools from the RTCO Tool Library, attaining the ability to live with independence and dignity for years to come.

Scott C. is a veteran, honorably discharged from the military because of a rare disease that affects his vision. He and his wife, Teri, were doing well until a year ago when Teri nearly lost her life due to complications with diabetes. Teri was hospitalized, had her leg amputated and was given a 50% chance of survival. Miraculously, Teri pulled through, but they face many new challenges. Scott spent the majority of Teri’s recovery by her side making it difficult for him to work. Not only are their finances tighter, but Teri is confined to a wheel chair and their home is not designed for accessibility. With the help of gracious sponsors and volunteers we removed the traditional bathtub, and installed an accessible shower. In addition, volunteers cleaned the interior, landscaped the exterior and installed grab bars for increased accessibility. The C.’s now can focus on adjusting to their lives in an accessible and more comfortable home.

Virginia C., 86 years old, moved to Columbus from Circleville, OH 60 years ago with her husband, son and daughter. She has lived in her current home for 45 years, and looks fondly back to memories of her husband, son and daughter playing guitar together during family cookouts in their backyard. Virginia’s son is an Army veteran and she has three grandchildren. Today, Virginia lives alone since her husband passed away several years ago. She suffers from arthritis and osteoporosis, which caused three bones in her spine to collapse. This has caused her a great amount of pain and has limited her mobility significantly. She also suffered from an irregular heartbeat for many years, but has recently received treatment and is in recovery. Since Virginia struggles to get around the house, she spends most of her time in her den, where she can rest comfortably. Her daughter is now disabled and struggles with health problems of her own, but her son and daughter-in-law visit her every Sunday to help out around the house. Even with a little help, it was difficult for Virginia to keep up on all the maintenance and repairs her house required. Hope came in the form of smiling volunteers from the Michigan University Alumni group on National Rebuilding Day 2012. Volunteers were able to complete a number of plumbing and electrical repairs including repairing a sink drain, installing an ADA toilet, installing new GFI outlets in the kitchen and bathroom, replacing a light fixture over the bathroom sink, installing a new phone jack in the sitting room, installing smoke alarms and a CO detector, and installing light fixtures over the front and rear door. Not only did receiving services provide mental and emotional relief for Virginia, but she will now live comfortably in warm, safe and dry conditions.  

Theresa Young, 63 years old, was born and raised in Columbus and has lived in her home for 27 years. She has two sons and one granddaughter. Before receiving services from Rebuilding Together Central Ohio, Theresa’s only bathroom was an accident waiting to happen. Her toilet was so loose it would swivel on the floor. Each flush would cause water to leak through the floorboards, destroying the subflooring around the toilet as well as causing a significant amount of mold in the basement. It caused so much damage to the floor that it was crumbling by the handful. Every time Theresa used the bathroom, she was at risk of falling through the floor. With Rebuilding Together Central Ohio’s help, safety and functionally was restored to Theresa’s bathroom. Like with many of our projects, we effectively leveraged resources to make a huge impact with few expenses. Using donated materials, our on-staff handyman, Alec, and a volunteer replaced a large section of the subfloor, laid new vinyl flooring, and installed a new toilet. A plumber was contracted to install a water shutoff valve and to inspect the plumbing work for quality insurance. All-in-all, a project that normally would have cost hundreds of dollars to finish was completed with less than $300 in expenses. Theresa now has a bathroom that is not only safe for her to use, but is no longer causing structural damage and posing a health risk. With a peace of mind, Theresa can continue to live in her home with safety and independence for years to come.

Lawrence and Sandy G. come in to the RTCO Tool Library regularly to pick up tools and keep us updated on the progress of their projects. Since becoming members of the Tool Library, they have replaced the floor boards on their porch, installed a new roof, remodeled their kitchen and dining room, and refinished their wood floors. Access to free tools has allowed Lawrence and Sandy to save money while improving and maintaining their home. Lawrence has since joined our Safe at Home program as a volunteer, and has used his skills to help our senior homeowners age in place with independence and dignity.