More than Home Repairs: Rebuilding Together North Suburban Chicago’s Holistic Approach

In our latest episode of [Re]Builders, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Sharon Riley, executive director of Rebuilding Together North Suburban Chicago, and Jill Brickman, program consultant at Rebuilding Together North Suburban Chicago. Together, we explored their Rebuilding Together journey, the importance of community partnerships and how their affiliate’s holistic “wrap-around services” approach is changing lives.

Sharon’s connection to Rebuilding Together runs deep. In 1996, her husband, Jim Riley, co-founded the North Suburban Chicago affiliate with members of their parish’s men's club. Sharon was always involved and began volunteering in 2008. Over the years, the affiliate’s projects and reach have grown. Today, Sharon works alongside what she calls a “compassionate, capable, hard-working and low-ego” team that helps drive the organization’s mission forward.

For Jill, her path to Rebuilding Together North Suburban Chicago began with a background in social services and long-time volunteer work. When the opportunity arose to take on a larger role within the organization, Jill eagerly joined the team, excited to contribute even more to a cause she deeply believes in. “I’m so thrilled to be a part of such a hardworking, effective team,” she says, reflecting on her journey.

One of the standout features of Rebuilding Together North Suburban Chicago is their commitment to serving the whole homeowner. While they don’t have a formal wrap-around services program, this holistic approach is ingrained in how they operate. As Sharon explains, "I just think it flows naturally from our model and from our people." The wrap-around services approach is more than just repairing homes—it’s about understanding the personal needs of homeowners and connecting them to additional resources when necessary. Many of the homes they work on come through referrals from code enforcement and social workers, whose insights are invaluable in shaping how the team approaches each project.

Jill elaborates on how this approach works in practice. Once they start working with a homeowner, additional needs often surface organically. “We try to address these needs as they arise, whether it’s through small gestures or by referring homeowners to other resources in our network of providers and partners,” Jill explains. This thoughtful, personalized approach helps ensure homeowners are supported on all fronts, not just with physical repairs.

The work of Rebuilding Together North Suburban Chicago is truly a community effort. Sharon notes that local volunteers and contractors are key to their success. “Almost all of our contractors discount their labor and materials and when they can, they sometimes donate things outright. They always go above and beyond,” she shares, underscoring how vital these partnerships are to their work. Sharon and Jill are excited to continue expanding Rebuilding Together North Suburban Chicago’s impact. They plan to deepen their community partnerships and ensure that even more homeowners receive the support they need. Their goal remains clear: to serve homeowners holistically, with both care and compassion.

To hear more about Sharon and Jill’s journey and the incredible work happening in North Suburban Chicago, tune into the full episode of [Re]Builders on Spotify. Don’t forget to subscribe and catch new episodes on the third Thursday of every month!