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As the days get shorter and the air turns crisp here in Pittsburgh, most of us are preparing for the holidays. We are turning up the thermostat, pulling out winter coats, and getting ready to gather with family.

But for too many of our neighbors, the approach of winter brings anxiety, not joy. For a senior with a failing furnace, a veteran with a leaking roof, or a family with drafty, broken windows, winter is a season of risk. A cold home isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s dangerous. That is why we are thrilled to announce the launch of our “Season of Safe Homes” matching gift challenge!

The Big News: Your Gift is Now DOUBLED

Thanks to the incredible generosity of a dedicated donor, every dollar you donate to Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh between now and December 31st will be MATCHED, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000.This is a game-changer for our work. It means we have the opportunity to unlock a total of $50,000 to provide critical, free home repairs across Allegheny County.

Here is how the math works for you:

• You donate $50  We receive $100 (Enough for safety grab bars and a shower wand).
• You donate $150  We receive $300 (Enough to repair a hazardous walkway or broken step).
• You donate $500  We receive $1,000 (A major investment toward a furnace repair or roof patch).

Why This Matters Right Now

We recently worked with Mr. Darwin, an Army National Guard veteran in the Hill District. He and his wife have lived in their home for over 30 years, but water damage and a failing roof threatened their safety. Through our programs, we were able to replace the roof, repair the plumbing, and renovate the kitchen to make it energy-efficient and safe. Mr. Darwin told us: “I walk into our home now, and it feels like a brand new chapter.”

There are hundreds of neighbors just like Mr. Darwin on our waitlist. They are the people who built Pittsburgh, our retired steelworkers, teachers, veterans, and grandparents. They want to age in place with dignity, but the cost of repairs has simply outpaced their fixed incomes.

How You Can Help

The match is active right now. We have until December 31st to reach our $25,000 goal. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us get there. This holiday season, you can give the gift of warmth. You can give the gift of safety. And for a limited time, you can double that gift to help twice as many neighbors.

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Together, let’s make sure everyone in Pittsburgh has a safe and healthy home for the holidays. Donate today!

The post Double the Warmth, Double the Safety: Announcing Our $25,000 Season of Safe Homes Match appeared first on Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh.

“I have the chance to make a difference in someone’s life.”

Veni Mittal, energy auditor and assessment coordinator at RTP, is a highly educated sustainability professional, with master’s degrees from Thapar University in India and Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. She is very knowledgeable about standards of energy efficiency, the effects of sustainability in residential communities, and other technical elements of sustainability. In fact, she holds an EcoDistricts AP certification. Despite her scientific know-how, Veni’s favorite part of her job at Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh is working with community members.

As a self-described “people person,” Veni’s enjoyment in working with RTP clients should be no surprise. She loves doing ten to twelve in-person energy audits each month. Her colleagues say Veni is friendly and kind, and always ready to help people. Veni describes sustainability as a big umbrella that includes energy efficiency, and her work at RTP allows her to see that in action.

Veni is excited to have the chance to lower a client’s electric bill through the Duquesne Light Smart Comfort Assurance Program, which she administers. The program, which is an energy reduction and education program, ensures that all income-qualified customers receive services that can result in savings of between three to sixteen percent. Whether helping clients be more aware of turning off lights or using smart strips, night lights, or LED bulbs that she gives them, Veni celebrates making a difference in someone’s life by helping them make simple changes. She also helps income-qualified customers realize greater energy efficiency through the Columbia Gas WarmWise Audits & Rebates Program through energy audits and funding for installation of energy efficiency measures.

A topic close to Veni’s heart as a “people person” is seeing things from everyone’s perspective. She recently joined the internal RTP DEI Committee with a commitment to better learn how to apply equity in her job and in her everyday life.

Veni applies her broader scientific knowledge through volunteer activities. She serves as community service chair and organizes events to promote community sustainability initiatives for Green Building Alliance, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that advances innovation in the built environment by empowering people to create environmentally, economically, and socially vibrant places. Veni also serves as a board member of the Etna Community Organization, a nonprofit organization in the borough of Etna dedicated to building a more vibrant and sustainable future where all have the opportunity to thrive and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

Veni and her husband, a mechanical engineer, live in Carnegie. When not working or volunteering, they can be found exploring state and national parks. This past year, they hiked in Colorado and several parks in Pennsylvania, exercising their love of mountains.

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