Rebuilding Together North Central Florida (RTNCF ) recently celebrated the completion of hurricane recovery projects designed to help Levy County residents return to safe, healthy homes following Hurricane Idalia.
On Friday, Aug. 7, team members from Rebuilding Together North Central Florida, Levy County commissioners, contractors, sponsors, neighbors and friends gathered to celebrate the completion of a newly constructed home for Leticia and Bobby Price, according to an RTNCF release.
The Price family cut the ribbon on their new site-built home, which replaces the hurricane-damaged mobile home that had stood on the property they have called home for decades. About 25 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the family’s official return home.
“Rebuilding Together is all about housing preservation,” said RD Bonnaghan, executive director of Rebuilding Together North Central Florida, in the release. “Our programs are based on a simple idea of neighbors helping neighbors stay in their homes and neighborhoods. In many cases, that means we make repairs for health and safety. In this particular case, following the hurricane damage, the homes weren’t able to be repaired, and the funding allowed us to replace the structure with this new house.”
The Price family’s home is one of two new homes constructed through the recovery effort. Rebuilding Together also used Hurricane Housing Recovery Program funds for more traditional home repair projects, including extensive roofing, flooring, structural and foundation repairs needed because of Hurricane Idalia damage.
“A lot of folks stop thinking about natural disasters a few months, or even years out,” Bonnaghan said. “But folks affected don’t have that luxury. That’s why we’re dedicated to sticking with projects through completion. Until the needs are finally met.”
Through the recovery effort, Rebuilding Together partnered with Levy County, the State of Florida’s Hurricane Housing Recovery Program and Sunshine Health to demolish two mobile homes that could not be repaired because of extensive Hurricane Idalia damage.
The nonprofit partnered with Fourth Dimension Development to construct site-built homes on the properties. Both homes were completed last month.
Across the various recovery strategies, the program provided disaster recovery services to 10 families, addressing a range of housing needs caused by the hurricane.
Rebuilding Together North Central Florida has worked since 2005 to provide critical home repairs and help ensure safe and healthy housing for residents in need.
For more information about Rebuilding Together North Central Florida or to learn how to get involved, visit rebuildingtogetherncf.org and follow @RTNCF on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
About Rebuilding Together North Central Florida
Rebuilding Together North Central Florida is an affiliate of Rebuilding Together, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to repairing homes, revitalizing communities and rebuilding lives. Since 2005, Rebuilding Together North Central Florida has worked to provide critical home repairs and promote safe, healthy housing for those who need it most.