Memphis Habitat, ServiceMaster Partner to Serve Local Veteran

Oliver Rollins (center) with the team of ServiceMaster volunteers before they got to work on May 30.
On
Friday, May 30, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis and more than 50
ServiceMaster volunteers spent a rainy morning beautifying the Uptown home of veteran
Oliver Rollins and three of his neighbors. The day of service was a
ServiceMaster Community Relations event supported by the company’s Veterans
Associate Resource Group and served as the culmination of ServiceMaster’s
observation of National Military Appreciation Month.
Work
on Rollins’ home included exterior painting and landscaping. Landscaping was
also done at three neighboring properties to help beautify the block.
“With
the launch of our Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, Memphis Habitat
addresses not only the need for decent, affordable new homeownership opportunities for families in need but also the
critical repair needs of existing low-income homeowners,” Jessica Hord,
director of marketing and communications at Memphis Habitat. “We are helping
long-time Uptown residents, such as Mr. Rollins, stay in his home longer and
improving the look of the neighborhood. We were excited for ServiceMaster to be
a part of that.”
ServiceMaster
has served as a Memphis Habitat house-building partner since 2007, constructing
seven homes and providing more than 3,300 volunteers and 15,000 volunteer hours
to help local families in need build and
buy homes for the first time. ServiceMaster added revitalization to its
partnership with Memphis Habitat in late 2013 and sought to serve a veteran
through its first revitalization volunteer event.
Through
the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, Habitat addressed critical
structural issues on Rollins’ home in 2012. The ServiceMaster project helped
complete remaining necessary improvements.
Here's a quick "after" shot of Mr. Rollins' completed home!
To check out Memphis Habitat's Facebook photo gallery, from the May 30 project, click HERE.
Memphis
Habitat’s Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI) launched in 2012.
Through NRI, Memphis Habitat’s mission has expanded to take a more holistic
approach to community revitalization and development and now includes not only
new home construction but also critical repairs and rehabilitation. The Uptown
neighborhood near downtown is Memphis Habitat’s current neighborhood of focus,
and the affiliate plans to construct 50 new homes and complete 100 critical
repair/rehab projects there. To date, more than 50 repair projects and 17 new
homes have been completed in Uptown.
Memphis
Habitat continues to raise funds to support the Neighborhood Revitalization
Initiative. To learn how you can help, contact Julie Romine at jromine@memphishabitat.com.
Memphis
Habitat and ServiceMaster in the News
WREG - Habitat, ServiceMaster ReStore Local Veteran's Home
FOX13 - Volunteers Spruce Up Home of Deserving Veteran
FOX13 News, WHBQ FOX 13