Rebuilding Together Honors Booz Allen's "Commitment to Building a Better America"

Booz Allen Vice President Herbert MacArthur accepted the award on behalf of the firm. "Booz Allen selected Rebuilding Together as a community partner to invest in a strong national movement, one community at a time, one house at a time, one life at a time," he said at the award ceremony.

Rebuilding Together also expressed gratitude for Booz Allen's work on a pro bono project that will help the nonprofit better meet its goals, grow the organization, and increase national and local effectiveness. The project, which was initiated last year and will be completed in December, assesses Rebuilding Together's organizational challenges and recommends improvements in the areas of affiliate growth and performance.

"Booz Allen committed many assets and funding support to this work, and there are many employees who have given of their time and talent—way beyond paid hours—to direct the study," said Rebuilding Together President and CEO Patty Johnson.

She presented the Community Builder Award to Booz Allen "for their investment in Rebuilding Together over the past 15 years, for their leadership on our affiliate and national boards, for professional guidance in our future direction, and for facilitating the building of a better world."

Rebuilding Together is the nation's largest volunteer home rehabilitation organization, helping low-income homeowners-especially the elderly and disabled-complete necessary home repairs and renovations, from fixing leaky roofs to building wheelchair ramps to repairing stairways. Since 2000, more than 1,000 Booz Allen employees have worked with Rebuilding Together to refurbish 199 homes in 25 cities.

The Community Builder Award was established in 1994 to honor corporations or individuals that best exemplify dedicated service and leadership to low-income communities. Prior honorees include members of Congress, Fortune 100 companies, and the Commissioner of the NFL.

Identifying Best Practices to Move an Organization Forward

Booz Allen's study identified 14 change opportunities for the nonprofit, including:

• Develop a clear path for growth and a branding plan
• Revitalize and develop new fundraising strategies
• Execute a communications strategy
• Establish new management decision-making processes
• Adhere to a formal strategic planning process

The first step in executing the recommendations will be taken by Rebuilding Together's board of directors, which will refine its strategic planning process and establish goal and project management teams. The teams will finalize the mission, vision, goals, and action plans, communicate the results, and implement the recommendations.

This is all taking place during one of the nation's most challenging times. Early reports indicate that 500,000 homes along the Gulf coast may need to be demolished due to Hurricane Katrina. Thousands of other houses that had been underwater, however, may be salvageable. The services of Rebuilding Together are likely to be in greater demand in the months ahead than any other time in its history.

"We are committed to doing our part to address both emergency situations and long-term needs," said MacArthur. "Booz Allen makes commitments that count. This is a special moment in time because our country has finally seen what Rebuilding Together has always known: Our citizens need our help. Together, we all have tremendous power to make a real difference."

He added, "Rebuilding Together calls it 'sustainable impact.' Booz Allen calls it 'results that ensure.' The meaning is the same: We're making a difference. Winston Churchill said, 'A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in any difficulty.' Booz Allen appreciates the opportunity to be part of Rebuilding Together, and the opportunity to help our country. Day by day, person by person, we're creating the way for positive change."

"I have personally witnessed the dedicated people at Booz Allen apply their business concepts to the task of renovating," Johnson said. "Very significant results occur when Booz Allen employees are involved. They communicate caring results—one of their core values. And the winners are low-income homeowners and communities."

Many of Rebuilding Together's 250 affiliates are redirecting their funds their Gulf coast affiliates, where it is needed most. Before Hurricane Katrina struck, Rebuilding Together anticipated completing almost 8,700 houses and nonprofit facilities in 865 cities and towns in 2005, totaling $93 million in market value.

story posted October 13, 2005