2026 Spring Newsletter and Annual Report

Our story is grounded in a simple but powerful act of neighborly care. The movement began in Midland, Texas in the 1970s, when a group of residents came together to help low- and fixed‑income neighbors living without safe wiring, reliable heat, or running water. What started as a “barn‑raising” effort each April quickly grew. By the late 1980s, the idea had sparked a nationwide movement known as Christmas in April.

Inspired by this model, a group of local leaders, many of whom were women from the local carpenters’ union, founded Christmas in April South Bay in 1991. That first year, volunteers repaired six homes in a single day—the beginning of a decade defined by large-scale volunteer‑driven rebuilds every April.

In 2000, we became Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley (RTSV) to fall in step with the change by our national organization and to better reflect the work we were doing.

As demand grew, so did our commitment. In 2001, we launched Fall Rebuilding Day, doubling our ability to serve homeowners and giving volunteers more opportunities to participate.

But even two major rebuild days weren’t enough. Too many neighbors needed repairs that couldn’t wait months, let alone a year.

In 2005, we introduced Neighbor to Neighbor, now Safe at Home (S@H)—a volunteer-powered, year‑round program focused on safety and accessibility and minor repairs that really couldn’t wait. From grab bars and handrails to repaired steps and rebuilt entryways, these Thursday teams’ efforts helped older adults and people with disabilities continue living safely in their homes. And while their dedication and impressive skills have made quite an impact, the need for licensed contractors and more costly repairs became more and more apparent.

The needs of our clients have always guided our evolution. In 2008, we secured our first Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) contract with the City of San José, providing resources for essential repairs that protect long-term home safety and habitability. Today, CDBG partnerships extend to 5 additional jurisdictions (Cupertino, Gilroy, Milpitas, City of Santa Clara, and County of Santa Clara), allowing us to address small fixes and major systems failures alike.

In 2012, we adopted the 25 Healthy Housing Priorities, giving us a standardized framework to ensure homes are dry, clean, pest‑free, safe, contaminant‑free, well‑ventilated, thermally controlled, and well‑maintained. With a more robust approach and funding structure in place, we could now focus not just on what the immediate needs and priorities of the homeowner were, but also the needs of the home that would ensure it was healthy and sustainable for years to come.

As additional funding streams grew, we’ve been able to tackle repairs once considered out of reach—roof replacements, subfloor restoration, plumbing overhauls, mobile home leveling, and electrical upgrades that make accessibility possible.

• Green Teams reduced utility costs and environmental impact through energy‑ and water‑saving upgrades.
• Lead testing and encapsulation have been part of our protocol since 2008.
• Radon testing, added recently, has helped us mitigate a serious hazard for one local family so far.
• Neighborhood‑based safety initiatives like exterior lighting and video doorbells improved security in the Seven Trees Neighborhood.
• Last year we launched “Shine a Light”, distributing 100 safety kits to help older adults prevent falls and remain independent.

Meet The Nguyens

Allow me to introduce you to the Nguyens, a family of 6 that placed their trust in Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley to make their dream of restoring their home come true. Viet Nguyen started his dream after immigrating to the US as a refugee by boat and meeting his wife Kim in the US. The Nguyens are proud of each of their 4 sons they’ve raised together: 2 of their sons have achieved summa cum laude status, 1 son graduated middle school as a valedictorian, and their youngest son who was born with severe disabilities.

Viet’s youngest son navigates life with challenges that are a testament to the Nguyens’ resilience: he has developmental delays, multiple health issues, and requires help with every part of his daily life. To ensure their youngest son receives the constant care he needs, Viet made the difficult decision to retire early. Kim now works as an in-home care provider, and her modest income from IHSS is the family’s sole support. More than anything, these parents want to provide a life of safety and dignity for their 4 sons. They’ve made countless sacrifices to ensure their kids are never at risk of homelessness, and they dreamed of their home being the place their children can always return to and grow old in. After years of putting their family first, the house needed repair. They are grateful to RTSV for a wheelchair ramp, roof replacement, and an updated bathroom with a toilet replacement, tub conversion, and grab bar installations.

In October 2025, Viet and Kim celebrated Fall Rebuilding Day with us as a spark of hope was re-ignited: the home they dreamed of repairing for years was transformed by volunteers. And if this story couldn’t get any sweeter, RTSV’s most loyal group of volunteers, self-titled The Dream Team, led the charge for their final project with Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley.

Meet The Dream Team

The Dream Team has been at the center of RTSV for almost as long as RTSV has been. Once Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley was established in 1991, it didn’t take long for the Dream Team to come together and begin providing the people-power and hard work that developed essential volunteer, repair, and warehouse protocol that RTSV still depends on today. As we celebrate 35 years of RTSV, we recognize the dedication and unwavering support the Dream Team provided throughout their decades of volunteer service. We are so grateful to have such a committed group shape RTSV, which is why it was a bittersweet moment when we learned that Fall Rebuilding Day 2025 would mark the end of an era for the team. Their final project would be at the home of our San Jose neighbors, Viet and Kim Nguyen. After giving so much to our community, the Dream Team decided it was time to officially retire and take a well-deserved break to give a new generation of volunteers a chance to build off their immeasurable impact.

The Dream Continues at the Nguyens’ Home

As the Dream Team, other volunteers, and the Nguyens took a lunch break, RTSV All-Star Staff surprised everyone with a special ceremony honoring each of our Dream Team members’ decades of service to RTSV. Every Dream Team member received an engraved hammer, and cake, memories, smiles, and stories were shared. We remembered the Dream Team volunteers who were no longer with us but still live on in our hearts by the mark they left on our community. While the Dream Team gathered for one last group picture, the other volunteers who worked alongside the Dream Team all morning lit a spark of hope for the second time at the Nguyens’ home that day. Inspired by the Dream Team’s longstanding dedication to volunteering and bringing safety to our neighbors, the other volunteers at the site decided to band together, follow in the Dream Team’s footsteps and call themselves The Dream Continues.

What Is Shine A Light?

Shine A Light is RTSV’s safety program designed to provide immediate support to neighbors who need it most. While many households wait for larger repairs or home modifications, safety can’t wait. That’s why each Shine A Light kit includes essential items that help reduce risks and create a safer living environment right away.

Each kit includes:

• A video doorbell
• Outdoor motion‑sensor lights
• Indoor motion‑sensor lights
• Additional safety resources tailored to the home

These simple tools make a meaningful difference in helping neighbors feel more secure, confident, and supported in their daily lives.

Why Shine A Light Matters

Did you know that 1 in 4 adults over the age of 65 experiences a fall each year? Falls are one of the leading causes of injury among older adults, yet many are preventable with the right safety measures in place.

By providing motion‑activated lighting, visibility tools, and other safety resources, Shine A Light helps reduce these risks and brings peace of mind to the people who bring vibrance to our community. A well‑lit walkway, a safer entryway, or a simple alert system can be the difference between vulnerability and independence.

Lighting the Way to Stronger Communities

Shine A Light is more than a safety kit—it’s a reminder that no one in our community should face challenges alone. When we invest in the well‑being of our neighbors, we strengthen the fabric of our entire community!

Every light installed, every doorbell mounted, and every resource shared helps illuminate a path toward safer, healthier homes for all.

If you’d like to help make our community SHINE, there are plenty of ways to get involved:

• Apply! If you or someone you know would be interested in receiving a Shine A Light kit installed at their home or needs repairs, click here to access our application in English, Spanish, Chinese, or Vietnamese: Before You Apply – Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley. We have 1 universal application for each of our impactful, free home repair programs, including Shine A Light. When our talented Client Services team receives an application, they will get in touch to determine your needs and work with our Construction Services team to schedule a walk-through of your home. After the walk-through, they’ll place you in the best program to bring safety to your home.
• Volunteer! Our talented team of change-makers brings safety with the help of our dedicated volunteers who install the safety items included in each of our Shine A Light kits. Every month, we host 2 Shine A Light installation days. If you’d like to join the action, sign up here: Shine A Light Volunteer Installations.
• Support Us! Inspired by the meaningful impact that each Shine A Light kit quickly brings to the home of our neighbors while they wait for larger repairs? Support us with a gift of any amount! Your donation helps us bring Shine A Light kits to more of our neighbors who need a helping hand. A Shine A Light kit costs $350 to put together and having our volunteer change-makers install kits helps us keep costs low, but a gift of any amount can make a big difference to our neighbors who are waiting on larger repairs. Click here to make a donation of any amount and help make our community SHINE: Donate – Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley.

We’re so proud of the way we’re making the community SHINE!

What if there was an accessible way to sponsor and support Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley’s impactful critical home repair programs? Meet Helping Hands, the answer to getting involved and sponsoring our transformational work all year long! Typically, RTSV leverages resources that our Rebuilding Day partners and sponsors help us secure. Outside of Rebuilding Days, we have year-round Team Builds for committed sponsors who want to host their own mini-Rebuilding Days any time of the year.

But for our wonderful supporters who may find it difficult to bring volunteers to a project site or prefer a smaller, more accessible sponsorship level, options to support RTSV used to be limited. Enter Helping Hands, our newest way to support RTSV’s incredible work at sponsorship levels starting at just $500.

Each Helping Hands level is designed to make a significant difference in our community while providing a Helping Hands sponsor with feel-good benefits. Take our lowest Helping Hands level, our $500 Safe Homes Starter level for example: As a $500 Safe Homes Starter, sponsors can enjoy full tax-deductibility while taking pride in funding the equivalent of 10 safety grab bar installations to prevent falls in the homes of our neighbors who need a helping hand. Additionally, our $500 Safe Homes Starter comes with a spotlight on RTSV’s website and social media platforms, a digital badge to display on your own website and social media, and discounted tickets to Paint The Town, RTSV’s annual fundraiser that has sold out every year since we brought it back in-person after the Covid-19 lockdown.

And the best part is the flexibility: Anyone can become a Helping Hands sponsor any time of the year!

This means if you or your organization would like to support our Rebuilding Days but find it difficult to pull a team of volunteers together by our Rebuilding Day deadlines, signing on as a Helping Hands sponsor during National Rebuilding Month in April still counts towards supporting our BIG, national impact!
We’ve made it even easier to support and sponsor our meaningful home repairs. Once you decide on a Helping Hands level that interests you, our team will walk you through accessing each of the benefits your sponsorship level unlocks while keeping you updated on how your generous gift is making an impact. Our Development Team is here to support, empower, and celebrate you at every step of the way!

If you’d like to get started or browse through our brand-new Helping Hands levels, reach out to for a copy of our Helping Hands packet.

We can’t wait to see the ways you’ll join us in giving our neighbors a helping hand!