Menlo Park’s Kiwanis Club & Fire Department join forces to refurbish East Palo Alto home

Each year on the last Saturday in April, National Rebuilding Day unites the largest nationwide group of volunteers from all walks of life to rehabilitate homes and community facilities.

“Locally, Rebuilding Together Peninsula provides the inspiration and planning, and we just show up to work,” said Menlo Park Kiwanis President Charlie Porter. “This is the 25th year we’ve participated, since the very beginning. Before that we were part of ‘Christmas in April’ working with Habitat for Humanity. This project gives us all a real sense of camaraderie and accomplishment, particularly when you see the homeowners’ joy as their homes are transformed right before their eyes.

“Each home we’ve worked on comes with a different history, unique needs, and its own scope of work,” added Tom Boeddiker, this year’s project coordinator for Kiwanis. “This means everything from yard cleanup and painting to skilled plumbing, window, electrical system, flooring repair and roof repairs.”

Menlo Park Kiwanis Club is an active partner to many non-profit organizations, having given over $90,000 last year in support of projects which include scholarships for Menlo-Atherton High School graduates, St Anthony’s Dining Room, Tour deCure of Diabetes, Special Games for physically challenged youth, Rebuilding Together, and the City of Menlo Park.