Every first Tuesday of December, global charities, businesses, and individuals come together to support #GivingTuesday. #GivingTuesday was created as a movement to encourage charitable giving following such busy shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday; the perfect way to share the holiday spirit by giving back to your community. At Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley, we see this as a perfect opportunity to further assist our clients during this winter season, giving them the gift of safety in their own homes. This year we focus on protecting our clients from the devastating impact of house fires, by using money provided during #GivingTuesday to purchase and install 10-year smoke alarms.
The holiday season also sees the temperatures dropping, and this shift into colder weather increases the risk of house fires for many homeowners. Many of our clients, unable to afford running a whole house heating system, turn to smaller portable heaters and/or improperly maintained wood stoves for warmth. All of these pose a serious fire risk, with space heaters responsible for an estimated 79% of all fatal house fires in the US (National Fire Protection Agency 2014).
In addition to the danger of space heaters, dry Christmas trees with old electrical wires in the strings of lights also pose a threat to seniors unprotected by a smoke alarm. While not common, roughly 230 house fires occurred between 2006 and 2010 and the National Fire Protection Agency cautions that these Christmas tree blazes tend to be more serious than other types of house fires, sadly resulting in more fatalities. With smoke alarms costs between $25-40, and a law that there must be a unit for every room, our client safety does not come at a small price. This year we are working with Santa Clara County Fire Department and Kiddie to provide (2) two 10-Year Smoke Alarms for every Smoke Alarm ($25 dollars) donated. Our goal is 300 smoke alarms…and with your generosity and this opportunity to have your dollars matched, we know this is achievable!
Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley wants to make sure all of our clients are safe and warm during the holidays, and able to fully enjoy all that the season has to offer. We have partnered with a sponsor to help prevent fires and promote fire safety among our clients. By doing something as simple as installing a smoke alarm, seniors will have the peace of mind that, in the event of a fire, they will be warned in time to evacuate safely. The smoke alarms that we at RTSV install are good for up to 10 years, ensuring that our elderly or disabled clients will be protected both from fire and the danger of climbing ladders to change batteries.
Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley asks that community members, businesses and corporations support #GivingTuesday by making a contribution to keep seniors safe this winter. For every $1 we receive, RTSV is able to leverage $8 worth of repairs, making a huge difference in the life of a low income senior or disabled homeowner. Smoke alarms are a small but valuable addition to our already robust menu of safety repairs. Donating during #GivingTuesday will provide a senior peace of mind during the holiday season, and for years to come. Click here to donate now to support RTSV in our mission to provide safe, warm homes for seniors and disabled residents wishing to remain independent in their own homes. Rebuilding Together is committed to rebuilding not just communities, but to rebuilding hope this holiday season. Join us for #GivingTuesday 2014 and give some hope to a senior in need!
For our social fans of Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley, we ask you to help us spread the word about this great opportunity to have donation dollars stretch even farther. If you haven’t already, visit us on
Facebook Twitter and Instagram for all of our #GivingTuesday happenings.
Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley
1701 South 7th Street #10
San Jose CA, 95112
phone: 408-578-9519
fax: 408-578-9359
email: [email protected]
