Dear Friends:

Meet Ms. Purnell and her Labor of Love, a home she runs for those in need. This past spring, Labor of Love received a cadre of critical repairs, ensuring the home will be a safe, healthy and nurturing place for years to come.

Ms. Purnell is one of many homeowners that Rebuilding Together Philadelphia (RTP) assists each year. We hope you enjoy her story and the impact that RTP made on her Labor of Love and those who live there. After reading her story, please make a gift to support RTP’s mission and work. We promise your gift will be put to work to transform homes, lives and communi-ties in need.

With Gratitude,

Carrie Rathmann Gwen GregoryExecutive Director President, Board of Directors

© S. Bones 2012

Ms. Purnell

Nearly 1,000 volunteers worked in Overbrook rebuilding 30 homes and a community center during Rebuilding Together’s Building a Healthy Neighborhood project this past June. One of the homes that received repairs was Ms. Purnell’s Labor of Love. Volunteers revamped and upgraded the kitchen making it easier to prepare meals for the 21 residents. They also repaired damaged ceilings and floors, made the home more accessible by installing grab bars and handrails, rebuilt a bathroom, properly vented appliances and made numerous energy efficiency upgrades.

“It’s a God send, I am so grateful for the help. I can just cry, knowing that there are people who want to help make my home better.” —Ms. Purnell

© S. Bones 2012

Photographs are hung on the walls and a carpet with years of vacuum marks covers the floor. Many adults are inside, quietly perched on the clean, worn furniture. Some watch TV, while others doze silently. Instantly you feel the warmth and age of a home that has been lived in by many, for a long time.

As I walk into the dining room, I am introduced to Ms. Purnell. She sits at a large table, and at once you know she is head of the household. In front of her are stacks of bills. She writes a check for each one and seals them in white envelopes.

After a quick introduction, I must know – is this her family?

“Well yes, it is,” she replies, with an air of pride and protectiveness that only a mother could have.

Ms. Purnell tells the story of how her home and family came to be. She worked in a hospital for many years while raising her family, “I was bringing sandwiches to people I saw on the streets, but I knew I could do more,” Ms. Purnell recollects the moment she truly found her calling, the one that altered the path of her life and her home.

“I started to take people in off the streets – I had such a large home and knew I should be sharing it. I want to care for these people, who have no one else to turn to.” Ms. Purnell was taking in people whose families and life luck had aban-doned them; people with mental and physical disabilities, who needed attention and care.

Rebuilding Together: A Labor of Love Story

www.rebuildingphilly.org. P.O. Box 42752, Philadelphia, PA 19101-2752. www.facebook.com/rebuildingphilly

Click here to make a gift online, or use the coupon on the next page to mail a gift.

© S. Bones 2012

© S. Bones 2012

Today, her home is known as “Labor of Love.” She owns three homes in the Overbrook neighborhood, which col-lectively shelter about 25 people at a time. “These are people with no one else to turn to. 80% of them do not have any family. They’d be out on the street if they didn’t have Labor of Love.”

There are countless framed photos on the wall. I ask her who are the people in all these photos.

“These are all the people who’ve lived in my home and been part of La-bor of Love,” she explains. “These people are my family.”

She’s done more than provide a home and give people in need a sense of security and family bond, she also works tirelessly to enrich their lives. Ms. Purnell works with social workers and other organizations to deliver three meals a day, clean

clothes, a bed, allowance, doctor visits, and social programs and classes.

“All this time, no one has ever asked to help me [before this project]. I’ve had to do everything myself to keep this place running. I even hung the fire escapes myself.” Imagining Ms. Purnell teetering outside a sec-ond story window to hang fire escapes is disheartening. How has she managed all of this by herself ?

Adapted from a narrative written by Whitney Flight

Rebuilding Together: A Labor of Love Story

www.rebuildingphilly.org. P.O. Box 42752, Philadelphia, PA 19101-2752. www.facebook.com/rebuildingphilly

Click here to make a gift online, or use the coupon on the next page to mail a gift.

© A. Sinagoga 2012

© J. Welsh 2012

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