Rebuilding Homes

homesbylois has made a commitment to helping rebuild families' homes across the nation. Please know that 10% of the commission in the purchase or sale of your property provides direct help to families to move back home.

Volunteer to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate by rebuilding homes throughout the United States. Join the homesbylois core team and build new friendships as we contribute to the welfare of others.

For the past two years we have gutted and rebuilt existing homes in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, worked with Habitat for Humanity to construct new homes and supported the St Bernard Community Center in Arabi by completing their annex building (sheetrock, plaster, tile floor, paint). We have also painted the exterior of the center, prepared meals for over 50 members, distributed water and clothing, assisted with office administration, unloaded, organized truckloads of food and cleaned and reorganized the kitchen. We have had the opportunity to interact with the local community, share stories, laughter, tears and good times. In the evening we have attended local dinners with guest speakers (Picayune Times reporter during Katrina, professor at Tulane University), dined in the French Quarter and sampled authentic Creole fare, visited local jazz clubs and danced to incredible music. Our daily routine consists of working from 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. We stay in town (French Quarter) and share room costs and rental cars. Each community service excursion is for one week and we travel every six months to New Orleans. When back at home we collect, box and send clothing and other useful articles to the community center.

Other opportunities to lend a hand are:

Prayer Lodge, Billings Montana ( a retreat for the benefit of battered women and their families). Live and work at the lodge, located in the heart of the North Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Share in the culture of the North Cheyenne. Projects have included mudding the butterfly house, scraping and painting Sister MaryAnn's house, laying sod, weeding gardens, building a sandbox and painting the windmill (which provides 70% of their electricity). We also prepare community meals and dine with the native people. Experience the culture and traditions of the Northern Cheyenne by participating in a "sweat" at the on site Sweat Lodge. Horseback ride along beautiful trails and through fileds of flowers at the Spang Family Ranch. Visit caves, natural monuments, take nature walks and hikes, learn about medicinal plants and local fauna. Attend a local PowWow and Rodeo plus tour Custer's Last Stand. Sleep in teepees amongst the stars and discover why they call Montana "Big Sky" country. Make this a family experience and share with friends, old and new. Groups limited to 14. Community service takes place during the summer months.

No prior building experience necessary. Learn new skills from team mambers. Minimum age 16.

Lois Krasilovsky
President and Founder
homesbylois.com