There are at least 20 homes whose residents need wheelchair ramps, and Randolph Wilson of Rebuilding Hope Inc. said the lumber is in their warehouse and the tool trailers are stocked and ready to roll.
There’s one thing missing, however: volunteers. People who will pull those trailers to the job site and use that lumber to build the ramps that so many in the community need to make entering and exiting their homes easier.
Wilson spoke with John C. Rose on Wednesday’s TownTalk and said God has richly blessed the ministry during the six years or so that it’s been in operation at the former Coca-Cola Bottling Co. on Raleigh Road.
“God has given us all the things that we need,” Wilson said, adding that the ministry relies solely on financial support from churches, individuals and businesses – it operates without benefit of government grants.
“We’ve been blessed that we have never needed money – we just need volunteers.”
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Teams have gone out into the community to construct dozens and dozens of ramps so far this year, but there are still quite a number of households on the wait list.
If you’d like to help, contact Wilson at info@rebuildinghopeinc.org or phone 252.438.5132.
The mission and ministry of Rebuilding Hope is “rebuilding homes, lives and hearts.” It strives toward those goals in a variety of ways, including sending youth out into the community to tackle repairs and home rehabs.
Over the summer, young people from near and far to take part in a program called “Servants on Site.” Close to 100 young people participated in the 2022 event and put roofs on 10 houses in the area in just about 4 days’ time.
The youth bunked at Central Baptist Church, and a dozen area churches prepared food each day at the job sites as well as helped purchase materials for the roofing projects.
“We had a great week with all those kids in town,” Wilson said.
Details of the various activities and events that Rebuilding Hope undertakes are included in the ministry’s monthly newsletter, available electronically to anyone who would like to receive it.
Simply email info@rebuildinghopeinc.org to be added to the mailing list and to stay updated on ways you can help.
Rebuilding Hope is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Applications for assistance are received on Wednesdays, Wilson noted.
Can’t climb up on a roof or take the 6-8 hours that it takes to complete a standard wheelchair ramp? No problem. Volunteers also are needed for small repair jobs like deck and interior floor repair, Wilson said.
There are opportunities to help keep the warehouse in good order, as well as cleaning and restocking the various trailers that are available to the community.
There’s a food trailer for churches and other groups to borrow when they’re having events, and even a trailer outfitted with popcorn, cotton candy and sno-cone machines.
Add to that the game trailer – stocked with different games and you’ve got yourself a portable party.
“You can pull both of those trailers out and have a pretty good event,” Wilson said, adding that there is no fee to use the trailers.
Wilson said he would be happy to come out and speak to any church or other organization that wants to learn more about its mission and how to help Rebuilding Hope help others in the community.
But mostly, he said, it’s volunteers that are needed.
“Our volunteer base is getting older – we need some young people to come on board,” he said.
In the meantime, he said, his prayers are simple: that folks “will choose to come and help.”
Visit www.rebulidinghopeinc.org to learn more.
