LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada, the local affiliate of the national nonprofit Rebuilding Together, is celebrating National Making a Difference Day.

National Make a Difference Day is the largest national day of community service in the United States. The nonprofit partnered with NV Energy, Henderson Firefighters, Nevada National Security Site, The Raymond Group, and Stewart Title volunteers to spruce up homes across the valley.

“Today, we are out here with Nevada National Security Sites’ Volunteer team. They are working on one of our low-income homeowner’s homes. We have already gone in and done major plumbing in this house, put in a rolling shower for this homeowner, replaced the water heater, and now the volunteer group that we have is now beautifying the home,” said Bob Cleveland, CEO of Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada

Cleveland said the group of roughly 200 volunteers worked together to perform noncritical work on four homes across Las Vegas at no cost to low-income seniors, veterans, or people with disabilities. 

“Putting in landscaping and they’ve already painted the home, removing old dead trees, just giving it a little TLC, helping to return pride of ownership to the home,” added Cleveland. 

This morning, the group revitalized the home of Maria Cowan, an elderly woman who has lived in the same home for nearly 50 years. 

“It’s the best job that I have ever had. To be able to come up here this morning and have our homeowner come out and give us a hug and thank us and have tears in her eyes, she is genuinely grateful for what we do. The difference we are making for her is the difference we make in the community 1,00 times a year. 

Cowan became emotional as she described what it was like seeing the workers bring her home life.

“I’ve been thanking god every day, all the time, because this is hard work,” said Cowan. “I am very pleased. I don’t want to cry because I am happy, but I thank the lord for it because the house is going to be beautiful. I know that.”

She said her home was rotting away and needed the attention it received today. She adds that she wouldn’t have been able to get all the work done on her own.

“I am a widow, and I am by myself,” she added. “All of the workers, I don’t have enough words to tell you how wonderful they are.” 

Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada also does critical work on roughly 1,000 homes, like plumbing and roofing. The nonprofit does critical repairs like roofing and plumbing on roughly 1,000 homes a year. 

For more information on the nonprofit and how to become a volunteer, click here.