Revitalize CDC to Tackle #GreenNFit Neighborhood Rebuild on April 25

SPRINGFIELD — On Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Revitalize CDC will lead more than 800 volunteers in a transformative day of service across the city of Springfield.

As part of its 34th annual #GreenNFit Neighborhood Rebuild, the nonprofit organization will repair 18 homes and also complete a spring cleanup at the Springfield Boys & Girls Club at 481 Carew St. and the Boys & Girls Club Family Center at 100 Acorn St. Volunteer check-in takes place at 481 Carew St., along with a welcome from Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno.

The impact will be felt by some of the city’s most vulnerable residents, including military veterans, seniors, and families with young children. Of the homes being repaired, three are owned by military veterans, one who served in the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam and two others who served in the U.S. Army. In total, 15 of the homeowners are seniors, and six households include children.

Laurie Caraid now has a safe wheelchair ramp thanks to Revitalize CDC. And once the #GreenNFit cleanup is completed on April 25, her backyard will be ready for gardening, afternoons sitting in the sunshine, and a Memorial Day cookout.

“We’ll have lots of room for a backyard oasis out here, and I cannot wait,” Caraid said. “Having my own yard again, and one I can access, it’s a really big deal. I’m just excited to have that independence and that joy back.”

Laurie, a retired behavioral therapist, and her wife, Jamie, bought their Tyler Street home seven months ago. Coming from a non-accessible apartment in Central Mass., they were happy to find a home in Springfield that offered a sizable backyard, in a community with good public transportation and close to Laurie’s primary doctor.

Laurie has Charcot-Marie-Tooth, a genetic neuromuscular disease, which has progressed to her needing to use a wheelchair full-time. Jamie, her partner of 27 years, is legally blind. Their son, 16-year-old Hayden, lives with them; Laurie and Jamie also have four adult children.

Their new neighborhood has been wonderful, Laurie said, with the neighbors always looking out for one another. Unfortunately, their backyard was loaded with trash, and Laurie’s first wheelchair ramp turned out to be unsteady and unsuitable. Luckily, she connected with Revitalize CDC, which installed a new wheelchair ramp.

On April 25, Revitalize CDC will send dozens of #GreenNFit volunteers to clear the backyard debris and make room for raised planters, among other improvements. Of course, Laurie will share produce with her neighbors. “Raising my kids, I’ve always said, what you put out there is what you get back,” she said.

Laurie helped others for years as a behavioral therapist, first as a program manager at a residential facility for boys, and later, providing in-home therapy and counseling for children and adults living with substance abuse and mental health diagnoses. Now it’s come full circle: Laurie and her family getting help from others in her new community.

“Don’t be surprised if I cry,” she said. “It’s huge, the difference it’s going to be for us.”

Revitalize CDC’s signature #GreenNFit Neighborhood Rebuild event showcases the power of community coming together to improve health, safety, and quality of life, one home, one park, and one neighbor at a time.

“This is more than just repairing houses; it’s about uplifting entire communities,” said Colleen Shanley-Loveless, president and CEO of Revitalize CDC. “When we invest in homes and community spaces, we invest in people’s futures. It’s powerful to see hundreds of volunteers and neighbors helping neighbors all united to make that happen.”