Heroes At Home, a program created through the partnership of Sears Holdings Corporation and Rebuilding Together, is ready to begin its spring 2010 projects.

This key initiative for Rebuilding Together, the nation’s leading nonprofit working to preserve affordable homeownership, is all about improving the lives of the military and their families through extensive home rehabilitations.

Heroes At Home projects will be completed in several cities, undertaking renovations for the nation’s veterans who can’t live in their current homes conditions because of injuries or obstacles.

Rebuilding Together South Sound, the local affiliate of Rebuilding Together, will complete two local projects through the Heroes at Home Program on National Rebuilding Day, Saturday, April 24th. Two hundred Rebuilding Together affiliates nationwide will field volunteer teams to complete major home repair projects for their neighbors in need – particularly the elderly, people with disabilities, or families with children.

In Tacoma and Auburn, the Heroes at Home projects are only two 25 that Rebuilding Together South Sound will complete Saturday. Nearly 700 local volunteers will devote their Saturday to completing home repair projects that will ensure their most vulnerable neighbors can remain safe and independent in their homes.

The two Heroes at Home projects that Rebuilding Together South Sound will take on are:

Michael and Patricia of Auburn, 64 and 61: Michael is a Vietnam veteran. Patricia has cerebral palsy, which limits her mobility, and last year the couple was involved in a car accident that left Patricia relying on physical therapy. Volunteers on Rebuilding Day will construct a ramp, repair the back deck, finish an accessible bathroom, modify the kitchen and replace the leaking roof.

Cheryl of Tacoma, 61: Cheryl is a Vietnam-era veteran with osteoarthritis in both knees and other mobility issues that began with a hit-and-run car accident in 2003. Volunteers will install a new hot water heater, a new stair landing and a Safeway Step to make it easier to use her bathtub. Volunteers will also reinforce her weak flooring.

Congressman Adam Smith will join Rebuilding Together volunteers at Cheryl’s home on National Rebuilding Day.

Rebuilding Together South Sound was founded in 2001 in response to the growing need for help in the Pierce County area, where 44 percent of the homeowners are low-income. The mission is to bring volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of low-income homeowners – particularly the elderly, people with disabilities and families with children. Rebuilding Day is an annual volunteer workday during which volunteer teams from supporting organizations make significant repairs for homeowners in need.

Additionally, a year-round Home Modification program provides accessibility improvements such as ramps and grab bars to homeowners with limited mobility. With the volunteer and in-kind support the community provides, each dollar raised translates into a minimum of $4 worth of work for homeowner recipients. This year, Rebuilding Together South Sound plans to complete 70 home repair and modification projects.

For more information, visit www.rebuildingtogetherss.org pr become a fan on Facebook at Facebook.com/RTSouthSound.