NEW MILFORD – Today, U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.) announced that Rebuilding Together of Litchfield County will receive a $50,000 Housing Preservation Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The funds will help low-income families in rural areas in Litchfield County renovate and repair their homes to alleviate health and safety concerns.

“Thanks to the hard work of Rebuilding Together of Litchfield, Connecticut families can have comfort in knowing that their homes are safe to live in. The USDA’s grant will help Rebuilding Together provide low-income households with the home improvements they need - whether it’s a new roof or a wheelchair ramp - and I’m grateful for their efforts to prioritize the well-being of our communities,” said Senator Murphy.

“Safe and affordable housing is a fundamental human need. I applaud Rebuilding Together for their longtime dedication to ensuring that all Litchfield County residents—particularly the elderly, disabled and those with young children—have the assistance and support they need to preserve and restore the safety and security of their own homes. I welcome this significant federal investment, and look forward to supporting additional efforts in the future,” said Senator Blumenthal.

“With the cold winter upon us, many families and seniors are struggling to make necessary repairs to keep them safe in their homes. Thank you to everyone at Rebuilding Together of Litchfield County for your commitment to helping folks and empowering them to live independently. This grant will go a long way in supporting their mission of building stronger, more resilient communities here in Litchfield County,” said Congresswoman Esty.

“We are very thrilled with the announcements of these funds. This is a huge benefit to us to be able to have funds which can be used in Litchfield County in the rural areas. The grant will be used for repairing and renovating the homes of older, single family homes, people 60 and over and who have very low or low incomes and who are Litchfield county residents,” said Ceia Webb, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together of Litchfield County.

Rebuilding Together of Litchfield County, which is based in New Milford, is an affiliate of the national non-profit volunteer organization, Rebuilding Together. The organization works to preserve and revitalize low income homes, focusing on the households of the elderly, disabled, and those supporting young children. The group plans to use this grant to fix roofs on several seniors’ houses and build a ramp for an individual with physical disabilities.

The USDA’s Housing Preservation Grant program provides grants to sponsoring organizations for the repair or rehabilitation of low-income housing. The grants are competitive and are made available in areas where there is a concentration of need.