Determining Our Social Impact in the Community

Social return on investment (SROI) is a metric adapted from the traditional return on investment (ROI). SROI is used to measure social, environmental and economic gains that result from an investment, as opposed to the strictly monetary gains measured by traditional ROI. This new, more inclusive measurement captures a broader set of impacts given that it identifies those impacts beyond simply financial or business ones, putting often intangible concepts into a more tangible form – the dollar.

Rebuilding Together Seattle recently participated in an impact analysis with our affiliate network. Rebuilding Together affiliates collaborated with Ecotone on an SROI impact analysis, building upon previously conducted impact measurement, analysis and stakeholder surveying work, to monetize the overall social value of every dollar invested in Rebuilding Together and its affiliates across the country. The monetization process was done conservatively to avoid the risk of overclaiming impact and to consider impacts made that cannot be attributed to Rebuilding Together services.

To derive the SROI ratio, Ecotone combined evidence of impact with the estimated costs and monetized benefits of Rebuilding Together projects. Ecotone then identified the key stakeholder groups to whom those impact benefits accrued and utilized a benefit-cost ratio to communicate social value creation.

They determined that each dollar spent in service to our mission can conservatively generate $2.84 worth of social value with the healthcare system and individual homeowners being the largest beneficiaries.

Click here to download the report and learn more.

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Team Build: Omaze + Assumption Catholic Church

On Saturday, November 12th, we repaired the residence of a Beacon Hill homeowner. This project was a collaborative effort between two community revitalization partners: Omaze and Assumption Catholic Church. Omaze generously awarded $25,000 to repair homes for our Seattle neighbors and Assumption Catholic Church [Re]Builders sprung to action to make repairs. Assumption has been a longtime supporter of RTS, completing repairs at dozens of homes throughout Seattle—this was their second team build of 2022! Thanks to this fruitful collaboration, Elizabeth’s home is a safer, healthier place to spend the holidays.

Repairs Completed:

• Exterior painting

• Remove moss from roof

• Replace dryer vent

• Assess and repair possible siding leak

• Repair front door (difficult to open)

• Repair drywall damage in living room

• Remove carpet, install new flooring

• Repair basement door

• Repair/replace gutter and downspout in backyard

• Repair back patio cover

• Clear drain for washing machine

• Prune trees/bushes

• Item removal from under patio

• Repair side porch

Sponsor: Omaze

National Rebuilding Month: Greenpoint Technologies

This year, our Rebuilding Month extended into October! We were so happy to have Greenpoint Technologies back with us for another year of rebuilding. Greenpoint spent their Saturday, despite the smokey conditions, transforming the front yard and walkway of home in Ballard. Thanks to an awesome team, our [Re]Builders were able to fix this home up and make it easier for the homeowner to maintain.

Repairs completed:

• Trimming bushes and trees

• Removing brick path and replacing with new even pathway

• Item removal

• Refrigerator installation

• Repair wire fence

The Homeowner: Jean

Jean was a participant in RTS programs in 2018. She inherited the home from her mother in 2011 and has been living there with her husband and daughter since then. Her husband is a U.S. military veteran and was recently diagnosed with cancer. Between caring for her daughter and husband, Jean found it hard to maintain the home. She was very excited to learn that the Greenpoint team would be helping to take care of some of the tasks that she has had trouble with. Jean was very grateful for every member of the Greenpoint team that leant their Saturday to helping their neighbors.

Team Build: Lowe's

Lowe’s joined us for 2 days during the work week to volunteer their hands at home in Rainier Valley!

Repairs completed:

• Powerwashing

• Extensive yardwork

• Install transition strips

• Replace lightbulbs

• Remove outdoor carpeting

• Painting

Homeowner: Alice

Alice is a Veteran of the U.S. Army and now resides in the home that was purchased by her mother. She served in the Army for 21 years and is eager to share her stories from various places she’s lived. She has received assistance from RTS a couple of times in the past and is always thrilled to meet new volunteers.

National Rebuilding Month: Gaspar's Construction + Wilson Sonsini Foundation

On Saturday, September 24, Rebuilding Together Seattle hosted their annual 2022 National Rebuilding Day! On this day, volunteers from Wilson Sonsini and Gaspar's Construction teamed up to tackle some repairs for Katrina in Central Seattle. Wilson Sonsini and Gaspar's Construction have both been amazing supporters of Rebuilding Together's mission and have worked with us multiple times over the last few years to provide safe and healthy housing for homeowners throughout the greater Seattle area. A big thank you to the volunteers from Wilson Sonsini and Gaspar's Construction for your hard work and continued support!

Repairs completed:

• Hanging drywall in the basement garage

• Rebuilding a deck

• Repairing a fence

• Installing tile in the bathroom

• Landscaping

• Item Removal

The Homeowner: Katrina

Katrina was a participant in Rebuilding Together Seattle's Team Build program in 2019. She lives in her 1960's home her parents purchased when she was young. Katrina was her mother's primary caregiver before she passed. Katrina has been doing her best to maintain her family home and on the day of the project jumped in to assist with repairs and to get to know the volunteers.

Sponsor: Wilson Sonsini Foundation

National Rebuilding Month: Howard S. Wright

Our friends at Howard S Wright have volunteered with RTS for the past couple of years, and we were so excited to have them back for another NRM project. They committed over 12 hours of volunteer work and managed to complete a whole repair list in just one weekend. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication!

Repairs completed:

• Hanging drywall

• Bathroom installation

• Flooring

• Wall paneling

• Insulation

The Homeowner: Gordon

Gordon and his family first came to us in 2020 and we completed a Safe at Home project for them. After a lot of flooding, and moisture in the basement due to lack of insulation, they reached out to us again in hopes of making their basement useable again. Gordon and his son were very involved from the start of the project, and were overcome with gratitude for our volunteers and their commitment to help their family.

Sponsor: Howard S. Wright

National Rebuilding Month: Crane Aerospace and Engineering

Spearheaded by our past board member Gary, Crane Aerospace and Engineering finished phase 2 of Alan’s house, previously worked on by Perkins Coie earlier this summer in June. Crane has been a committed volunteer to RTS and we are pleased they could offer the expertise necessary to continue the repairs on Alan’s house.

The Homeowner: Alan

We were thrilled to have Alan’s son, Blair, back on sire and helping direct the volunteers. Blair has been helping to [Re]Store his dad’s home after having grown up there. He and his friends have put in time on the weekends to help make his dad’s house safe and healthy again for many years to come.

Repairs completed:

• Carpentry (bathrooms and awnings, replace facia boards)

• Installed flooring throughout the home

• Painted the exterior and trim

• Yardwork

Before & After:

Sponsor: Crane Aerospace and Engineering

National Rebuilding Month: DPR Construction

For their 2023 rebuilding month project, DPR Construction focused on community space, addressing repairs needed by the NW Ballard Senior Center. Thank you volunteers for committing your Saturday to help another organization that is serving our community!

Repairs completed:

• Reinforce the wheelchair ramp

• Paint the dining room

• Smooth the pavers in front

• Replace falling ceiling panels

Nonprofit Facility: Ballard NW Senior Center

National Rebuilding Month: Center for Spiritual Living

After more than 20 years of volunteering with Rebuilding Together Seattle, the Center for Spiritual Living was back for another project, this time to help a neighbor in White Center! Headed by Project Manager, Tim, the team accumulated more than 15 hours of teamwork including the preparation and completion of repairs. Not only did they build a new fence and deck, but they also managed to repurpose some of the fence boards that were not rotting! Despite a smokey Saturday, the CSL team was all smiles for our first project of NRM (September edition)!

Repairs completed:

• Build fence

• Replace deck

• Yardwork

Team Build: WMFHA

We were so thrilled to Washington Multi Family Housing Authority (WMFHA) back with us for another project! WMFHA has been a proud volunteer with RTS for a few years and they came back bigger and better than ever. So much so that they decided to tackle not one, but two houses in the Central District! Double the homes, double the fun, and double the repairs! Thank you WMFHA volunteers and partners for all your hard work!

Update from September 2022: New flooring has been installed in both Central District homes. This was on the original scope of work for WMFHA but was done on a separate day. Take a look at the new flooring in the photos below!

Repairs completed (both homes):

• Powerwashing

• New handrails and steps

• Painting

• Floor installation

• Landscaping

• New appliances installed

The Homeowners:

Robert is veteran of the U.S. Army. He now resides in his home, once owned by his mother, in the Central District where everyone in the neighborhood knows his name. He is very close with his family and often has his children and grandchildren over for meals or to look after them. Robert was a previous recipient of RTS programs and is extremely grateful for all of the volunteers and staff members that helped make the repairs possible.

James is also a veteran of the U.S. military and is located in the Central District as well. He first heard about RTS programs through a friend who had received services in the past. James was not on site for the project day, but he was thrilled and pleasantly surprised to come home to a landscaped front yard after his return from a family visit.