Partnering with Salal Credit Union to Support Women-led Homes

Rebuilding Together and Salal Credit Union believe that the wellbeing of families and individuals starts at home. Our organizations work to serve our communities to the best of our ability and to help our neighbors in need. That is why we are delighted to announce that Rebuilding Together and Salal Credit Union are continuing our partnership! Together, we are focused on providing critical repairs for seven women-headed households and women-focused community spaces.

Now more than ever, women-headed households need our support. According to the National Women’s Law Center, 60 percent of women lost or quit their job during the pandemic and 48 percent of women worked jobs paying $15/hour or less. Navigating the labor market is already difficult for women, and 33 percent of women (compared to 22 percent of men) say that the pandemic only worsened their family’s finances. With funding provided by Salal Credit Union, Rebuilding Together is providing no-cost repairs to women-led spaces, easing the financial burden that often accompanies home and structure maintenance--a burden that Ms. Burt, a neighbor in Tennessee, understands first-hand.

Ms. Burt is the third generation of her family to live in her home, which was originally purchased by her grandparents. As the home aged, it required critical and expensive repairs and updates. To start repairs, she hired a contractor in 2017, but was the victim of home repair fraud and the repairs she paid for were never completed. The next year, her air conditioning unit was stolen. The home’s condition continued to decline, and due to the severity of her home repair needs, she was forced to live in her truck.

Through our partnership, Rebuilding Together Chattanooga and Salal Credit Union were able to help Ms. Burt receive much-needed home repairs including structural carpentry, plumbing and electrical work, amongst other repairs. We are honored to help Ms. Burt take steps to reach her goal of returning to her home and being able to have her family home passed down for generations to come.

With our collaborative efforts, we will greatly impact the lives of women in need by enabling them to thrive in safer and healthier environments in cities across the country, including Denver, Colorado; San Francisco, California; Austin, Texas; Blue Jay, California; Tacoma, Washington and Bantam, Connecticut. We are excited for the opportunity to rebuild lives and empower women, like Ms. Burt, nationwide.