Fifteen NSU occupational therapy graduate students and faculty advisor, Dr. Max Ito, gave part of their weekend to the 6th Annual Rebuilding Together Event Day.
The NSU students, along with several hundred volunteers, were assigned to work on 20 homes. Most of the work involved landscaping, scrubbing, cleaning, painting, carpentry, and plumbing work. Volunteers also rebuilt a laundry room and completed numerous small jobs. One of the homeowners (a retired school teacher) had multiple strokes and was unable to use one side of her body well. She was extremely grateful for the assistance the volunteers provided in making her home safe and transforming its appearance.
Rebuilding Together, Inc. is a national organization of volunteers serving low-income neighborhoods, with a mission of preserving and revitalizing houses and communities by providing free home repairs and safety remodeling to those who qualify. Their goals are to re-establish safe and sanitary living conditions, improve home security, reduce hazards, and improve the appearance of the homes and neighborhood. Most who qualify are elderly, some with disabilities.
In January, eight students and the advisor also participated in home assessments with expert volunteer contractors and skilled carpenters to assess need and identify the repairs and work to be done. Their occupational therapy skills provided a valuable perspective on home safety and disability adaptation ideas to the assessment team, and provided a tremendous learning experience for the students.
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