Repairing the St. Ambrose Family Shelter on National Rebuilding Day

May 11, 2023
by Janice Walker, Executive Director at Rebuilding Together Boston

Rebuilding Together Boston recently celebrated our 32nd year of supporting Boston area neighbors and community organizations. Our team worked with sponsors and volunteers at three locations across Dorchester for National Rebuilding Day, which Boston celebrated on April 22. April was National Rebuilding Month and our primary focus was engaging volunteers to complete repairs on homes and community spaces–like the St. Ambrose Family Shelter. 

Our team of Grand Circle volunteers had the opportunity to renovate the St. Ambrose Family Shelter in Dorchester. The shelter is a temporary home to 19 families who are in transition. The shelter offers a variety of services to prepare families for successful and independent living, as well as a comprehensive stabilization program. Most of the families the shelter serves come from an unstable environment, whether it be domestic violence or unsafe living. We were able to provide the shelter with new floors, shelves and a new garden. It’s important for the families to have a nice place to call home in the short term while they are going through difficult situations.

Along with St. Ambrose Family Shelter, volunteers spent National Rebuilding Day performing critical repairs and updates to two homes in Dorchester. Repairs included flooring repairs and replacement, weatherization repairs, roof and handrail replacements, accessibility modifications, painting, landscaping and more. 

These projects were made possible by the generosity of Lowe’s Home Improvement, Boston College and Grand Circle. We appreciate our sponsors and volunteers that help us continue our efforts in aiding Boston area neighbors and communities.