The last couple of weekends I have been volunteering through Rebuild Together Fox Valley for COTS. COTS operates shelters and programs that help homeless adults rebuild independent lives. They have a location in the Fox Valley on College Ave. in Appleton that accepts adults only. There is a two story duplex next door which for the past few years has remained vacant and was in need of repairs.
This duplex was one of the fall projects for Rebuild Together Fox Valley and the one I was a project leader on. The sponsor of this rebuild was Lowe's and had a $25,000 matching grant from JJ Keller. Volunteers from Coca-Cola were my workers on this project.
We remodeled the duplex to livable conditions, and now two mothers with children will be able to live together as a family. Cindy Sahotsky, the COTS executive director told me that previously, women living in the shelter would have to give their children up to social services. Now, there is the opportunity for COTS to help families as well.
My fellow Project Manager, Jim, and I finished the work on the duplex last night. The two new families will be able to move into the duplex this November. The mothers will be able to live in the duplex up to two years while they find jobs in the workforce and find a way to get back on their feet. COTS welcomes any donations for household items including furniture.
