Re|shelter press release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
New Housing Non-Profit Forming with Focus on Environmental Sensitivities
Snowflake, Arizona USA – June 7, 2010 – Re|shelter is a new non-profit organization forming to address the urgent need for housing alternatives for people with environmental intolerances, who experience mild to life-threatening physical reactions to extremely low levels of chemicals, mold, electrical fields, and other environmental factors and have great difficulty living in their conventionally built homes.
Currently applying for 501(c)3 status, the charitable organization is committed to addressing the global housing crisis and high rates of homelessness and suicide within vulnerable populations affected by disabling environmental sensitivities. Their activities will include fundraising, awarding housing aid grants, facilitating the design and construction of healthy homes and communities, and using the arts to promote awareness.
Co-founders Julie Genser and Julie Laffin formed the charity because “the need is so great, and no one else is doing it,” says Genser. Genser and Laffin are hoping to direct funding from government and the private sector to help prevent homelessness and further suffering for those unable to secure safe housing due to their own limited resources. Both Genser and Laffin were disabled by severe chemical, electrical and other environmental sensitivities within the last six years and have a firsthand understanding of the housing struggle for this population. The two met online four years ago in a group for artists with chemical sensitivities.
Genser and Laffin will comprise the Board of Directors. The Advisory Board has 16 notable members with experience working in related fields, or with the illness itself, including William J. Rea, M.D., a pioneer in environmental medicine and safer housing construction, Pamela Reed-Gibson, Ph.D., an author and researcher of the life impacts of environmental sensitivities, Magda Havas, Ph.D., an expert on the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation, Carl Grimes, President of the Indoor Air Quality Association, Bennie Howard, the former director of the Office of Disability at HUD, Susan Molloy, a long-time disability rights activist, and Paula Baker-Laporte, an architect experienced in building for those with environmental sensitivities.
Some of the group’s planned projects include awarding home renovation grants to eligible individuals, construction of a clean air community as well as an emergency shelter, and an architecture school outreach program that educates students while collaborating on re|shelter’s projects.
Genser studied Design and Environmental Analysis/Interior Design at Cornell University and coordinated construction projects prior to getting ill. She had just become certified in permaculture and ecovillage design, and was enrolled in an intensive 4-month sustainable architecture semester at ECOSA Institute when she became severely disabled by environmental illness and had to drop out of the program. She has unique insight into re|shelter’s target population: the last five years she has moved seven times in search of safe housing that did not severely affect her health.
Laffin also knows the struggle of finding safe housing; she searches each summer for a place to escape the aerial crop spraying in her home county in northern Illinois. Driven by compassion and personal insight into the particular problem of housing for those with environmental illness, the two are very excited to be taking this important step, as there is no other organization in existence today that is solely focused on housing solutions for those with environmental intolerances.
Contact: support@reshelter.org | reshelter.org
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Corky Riley
June 8, 2010 at 9:52 am
All I see is about building homes, but nothing for apts, duplexes, etc., being built to rent out to MCSrs around the country. I am 66 yo, no money to buiild, physically limited, have been trying to find a ‘safe’ rental in Tucson but no luck so far. I don’t need subsidized housing but I can’t afford ‘sky high’ rents either.
earthwalker
June 8, 2010 at 10:45 am
Hi Corky,
I’m so sorry you are having so much trouble finding safe housing in Tucson. Our main objective as a new non-profit is to provide housing aid grants to individuals. If we are successful in our fundraising efforts, eventually we will look at building homes and communities. There is a tremendous need for safer housing, of all types, around the country and around the world. We have to start small because of our limited resources but hopefully we will garner the support of many and be able to move forward with construction projects down the line. We hope to create a model MCS community that can be replicated in other areas. Please sign up for our email updates so you can be the first to hear of any new funding and projects. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this, much appreciated. Julie
Laura
June 8, 2010 at 11:44 pm
Hello,
I lived in my truck in National Forests for 5 years because I could not find a place where I could remain functional. The brain damage is especially disabling to me – making it extremely difficult to access help from social services & follow through with paperwork & still take care of daily living needs. They never helped me in any way when I did go through the complicated procedure. Also, these public places do not accomodate my disability. I recently inherited enough money to buy a house & chose one bordering National Forest since I am highly reactive to laundry products emitting from dryer ducts, soap fumes coming from bathroom exhausts & lawn chemicals. I am highly sensitive to mold & the house has gotten moldy. I do not have the money to remediate. I am living in the kitchen of the otherwise empty house. It is only a matter of time before I will be unable to function. I do not have the strength or wherewithal to live in my truck again. Can you assist me in any way?
Laura
Holly Plaviak
June 9, 2010 at 6:24 am
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. When a friend sent me the link to your site, I cried. I applaud your spirit of generosity and efforts in establishing the premier organization for housing for the MCS/EI. I have had MCS for over twenty years. The past five years have been very difficult and I have been searching for a safe home for the past 18 months. Saying “Thank you,” is an understatement. Just knowing that there will be some MCS/EI sufferers whose lives will be safer, you have given me renewed hope. Since I cannot find any other words to accurately express my appreciation… THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Julie Laffin
June 9, 2010 at 7:01 am
Laura,
I found your story very upsetting. No one should have to endure what you have described as your way of life. And many of us here understand all too well being affected by the things you are reactive to. (Those are some of the things that trigger my illness as well).
Because we are currently a brand new organization (less than two days old) and have just begun to fund raise, we think it might take about a year before we are adequately funded and legally set up to offer housing assistance grants. We will make an announcement on this website when we are up and running with our granting program and all the details about making application.
We are also going to be setting up a program called SANE that connects individuals in need directly with donors that may be of interest to you.
Do you know about http://www.planetthrive.com? There is a group there that discusses SSDI and how to get social services and I wonder if it would be a resource that would make the process more manageable for you if you decide to pursue those types of services again. Here is the web address:
http://planetthrive.com/2009/07/disability-insurance-ssdi/
Please stay in touch. We would very much like to be able to help if we can.
Blessings to you,
Julie L.
Julie Laffin
June 9, 2010 at 7:12 am
Holly,
I was very touched by your post! And I know Julie G. will be, as well.
The response we are getting is so positively overwhelming and we appreciate all the support and good wishes we are getting from our community. So thank YOU.
We appreciate your taking the time to write to us and let us know about yourself. We all need to stand and be counted now because we are all in this together and our cooperative efforts to weigh in and to tackle this problem will engender the many good results we are striving for.
Be well friend.
Yours in the quest,
Julie L.
Julie Genser
June 9, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Oh Laura, I wish we could do something for you right away. Can you please email us through our contact form (http://reshelter.org/contact/) and give us your location, in case we hear of anything that might be useful to you? Even though we have no resources right now, we will be keeping a list of those that write in asking for assistance. Can you let us know in your email what sort of assistance you need most (e.g., a new house, help filling out SSDI forms, etc.). I can’t promise anything but if we know what you need, we will be better able to match you with any donations or volunteers that come in.
Julie L. gave a link to SSDI resources above. The discussion group she referred to is here: http://planetthrive.ning.com/group/ssdihelp.
Sending a big hug to you my friend. This is another sad example of how our money is squandered by this illness and how the brain injuries make accessing any social services almost impossible. We will do what we can to help you.
Best, Julie G.
Julie Genser
June 9, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Thank you for your touching note Holly. We love getting messages like yours!
Be well, Julie G.