We teamed up with the Structural Engineers Association of Metropolitan Washington (SEA‑MW) for Rebuilding Together’s National Rebuilding Day—the annual one‑day event that rallies volunteers nationwide to make critical home repairs for neighbors in need. In Washington, DC, the flagship event attracts teams from companies, community groups, and houses of worship who spend the last Saturday of April turning houses into safer, healthier homes.
Rolling up our sleeves
Monika Crandall, Ammar Motorwala, and David Pirnia joined a team of 24 SEA‑MW volunteers at a single‑family residence whose aging systems and storm‑damaged yard threatened the homeowner’s comfort and safety. Together the crew:
- installed a new dryer and vented it through an exterior wall,
- upgraded bathroom fixtures for better accessibility,
- replaced a deteriorated basement window and door,
- rebuilt a collapsed backyard masonry retaining wall, and
- tackled general yard cleanup and minor repairs throughout the home.
The retaining wall alone required hours of heavy lifting and careful alignment—work that Monika and Ammar’s group tackled head‑on while David’s group concentrated on the basement window and mechanical improvements.
Why it matters
National Rebuilding Day mobilizes thousands of volunteers across the country, completing roughly 10,000 projects each year so that low‑income homeowners, many of them seniors, veterans, or residents living with disabilities, can remain safely and independently in their homes. Rebuilding Together
A culture of service
Community service is woven into SK&A’s culture, and events like National Rebuilding Day give our engineers a chance to apply their hands‑on expertise outside the office. By partnering with SEA‑MW and Rebuilding Together, we help strengthen neighborhoods, reduce environmental health hazards, and extend the useful life of existing housing stock—goals that align closely with our firm’s commitment to sustainable, people‑focused engineering solutions.
Thank you to SEA‑MW’s community‑outreach leaders for organizing the day and to Rebuilding Together for providing the materials and logistical support that make these projects possible. To learn more about Rebuilding Together or to volunteer next year, visit their website: https://rebuildingtogether.org
