This weekend Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden’s office partnered with a nonprofit to improve neighborhoods and the lives of several Baton Rouge citizens during National Rebuild Weekend.

The city-parish teamed up Friday with Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge, a nonprofit organization that builds and improves homes of low-income elderly and disabled homeowners. The team donated about $3,000 in part of the Community Development Block Grant for construction supplies.

The supplies went toward remodeling Baton Rouge resident Karilyn Morris’ home.

Julie Baxter, board member for Rebuilding Together Baton Rouge, said the project began in 2004 and conducts about 20 different projects throughout the year for low-income senior citizens and veterans.

Baxter said the organization aims to not only improve homes but also neighborhoods that are meaningful to Baton Rouge citizens.

“These are the neighborhoods that help us keep up with our city,” Baxter said. “Neighborhoods that people really value.”

Coordinator for this weekend’s projects Chris Andrews stated in a news release that Morris has always lived in the same house in her neighborhood, but lately deteriorating conditions have made the house difficult to live in.

“Ms. Morris is a lovely and active 62-year-old, and she’s lived in this home all her life. She inherited it from her family,” Andrews said in the release.

Morris’ leaky roof was leading to other problems as well, Andrews said.

Baxter said students should be encouraged to participate because often volunteers from all over the city come to help out and discover areas they have never been to before and help a direct need in the community.

“It is great for morale building for companies and organizations. We have really made a difference to these people,” Baxter said.

The group does not always stick with residential homes; Baxter said it also helped the Youth Runaway Home and the women’s shelter. 

“Neighborhoods that people really value.”