Of the 18 years worth of memories in their home, Mr. and Mrs. Huff say none compare to raising 4 great-grandchildren in their home. “Granny and grandpa” have led exciting and fulfilling lives. Mr. and Mrs. Huff have just as much excitement to come during the next few months. Mr. Huff will be fitted with…
Independence and the ability to stay in your home with the one you love – this is how Rebuild Upstate volunteers have blessed Mark and Rhonda Turnbull. “We would not have been able to stay in our home if not for Rebuild Upstate,” Rhonda says. “Mark’s mobility was becoming increasingly limited, and it was…
Ralph Breeze revisits favorite memories every time he looks out into his front yard. “That dogwood tree over there is bent because my grandson used to sit on it, and I sure enjoyed watching him drive his toy car down the hill. He’d get stuck in the ditch on the bottom of the yard, and…
This story was co-written by Madiken Helsel. Madiken is a Greenville resident who enjoys business consulting for early-stage companies. When not working or volunteering with local non-profits, she likes to travel, hike, and run with her husband. Madiken volunteers with Rebuild Upstate to help share the stories of our homeowners. Mrs. S welcomed us into…
This blog post is a deeper-dive to Marlene’s story, which originally featured in our 2017 Impact Report. Madiken Helsel, the co-author of this post, is a Rebuild Upstate volunteer who helps Rebuild Upstate share stories of homeowners served. Just talking to Marlene on the phone, I knew our visit was going to be full…
When you meet Abraham Lincoln (one of our homeowners, not the former president) you instantly feel his joy and tenacity for life. He loves to joke. He has a love of movies and film, something he shared with his mother. Abraham helps everyone who he can. He even adopted the neighborhood cat after the death…
It’s no surprise that someone who has dedicated their career to helping others find the perfect home is also passionate about our mission. When a house is in disrepair it becomes a barrier to health, happiness, or hope. Partnering with local real estate agencies creates opportunities for awareness, volunteering, and fundraising. Most importantly, we work together…
The Upstate has a culture of supporting one another. We love when local companies let us be part of giving back. Alpha Omega and Owens Corning teamed up to provide a Pickens County homeowner with a new roof. Owens Corning Shingles provided shingles and Alpha Omega provided remaining materials and labor for the project. According…
Rebuild Upstate Top 10 Memories Did you know Rebuild Upstate is celebrating its 10th anniversary? Over the next few weeks, we will be highlighting some of our favorite memories from the past 10 years. We’ll be adding a few more each month, so stay tuned! 1. Founding Story – It Starts With One. It’s hard to put our favorite…
James Mitchell has a history of helping others. For years, he worked at a women’s shelter and was a dedicated volunteer in his church’s kitchen. His motivation for serving others comes from his drive to share Christ’s love with others. Unfortunately, after years of helping others, Mr. Mitchell found himself in a situation where he…