Free home repairs
Applications are accepted until Nov. 15.
- Do you own a home in Park Forest and live in Cook County?
- Are you elderly, disabled, or low-income?
- Do you need help with home repair?
Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago is a volunteer home repair effort that conducts a one-day community work blitz to help repair the homes of low-income homeowners. They will be providing services to Cook County homeowners living in Park Forest for their 2024 Program Year.
If you are interested in applying, you can request an application by:
- Contact Metro Chicago Rebuilding Together at 312-201-1188 to request one be mailed to you.
- Downloading an application from the Metro Chicago Rebuilding Together website at www.rebuildingtogether-chi.com (can be found under the tab “apply”)
- Email Metro Chicago Rebuilding Together at apply@rebuildingtogether-chi.com to request one be sent to you.
If I am selected, when will the repairs be made?
All of the actual repairs will be made on Saturday, April 27, 2024 – National Rebuilding Day.
If I am selected, what are my responsibilities?
- Attend a required homeowner orientation session
- Meet with your lead volunteers as many times as necessary between January and April to plan the repairs (minimum of 3 times)
- Stay at home all day on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 – National Rebuilding Day
- The homeowner, everyone living in the home, and any friends or relatives visiting during the program must work alongside the volunteers.
2024 PROGRAM YEAR: PARK FOREST
Our Motto: “Warm, Safe & Dry”
Once selected, each home is “sponsored” by a volunteer team. Their skill levels vary. Typical repairs are limited to a variety of one-day tasks such as:
- interior painting
- minor plumbing or electrical repairs
- replacing tile
- porch repair (not full replacement)
- improving handicapped access
- minor remodeling
- adding security doors
- yard work
Criteria for Prioritizing Applications:
Economic Need: Metro Chicago Rebuilding Together cannot include anyone whose household income exceeds low-income guidelines.
Work Scope: Metro Chicago Rebuilding Together categorizes the work you have requested as “light, medium, or heavy,” depending upon the amount of work and the skill required to do a good job. Metro Chicago Rebuilding Together has only a few highly skilled sponsors who can handle a “heavy” house. There are also some houses that are simply too heavy for our volunteer program to undertake.
After considering income and work scope, we give priority to:
- Elderly, disabled homeowners who have no other adults in the household to help
- Elderly homeowners raising young children
- Elderly homeowners living alone
- Veterans
- Single parents with young children and no other adults in the house to help
- We cannot include homes where there is overt evidence of drugs or guns