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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAN DIEGO’S REMODELERS PITCH IN SUPPLIES, SKILLS AND EFFORT FOR PROJECT HARMONY
Local NARI Branch Receives Outpouring Of Member Support To Remodel Charity Apartments
SAN DIEGO – August 24 – A local Escondido charity, Interfaith Community Services, is set to receive some community support of its own from a local trade group of remodelers. The San Diego chapter of NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) will soon make over several apartments in the nonprofit’s Harmony building as part of its inaugural charity event, called Project Harmony.
Over two weekends in September, NARI members have pledged their time and expertise to tear down and remake three of the building’s seven units. The building, located in East Escondido and originally constructed in 1964, houses homeless, disabled and displaced individuals.
The one bedroom/one bath units will receive extensive renovations, including new flooring, cabinetry, electrical fixtures, furniture, appliances, paint and more. All supplies, construction materials and effort for the project have been donated by NARI members, their industry partners and community volunteers.
“In 2010, we wanted to make a positive contribution to our community,” said Ryan Holmes, president of NARI’s San Diego Chapter. “We chose Interfaith Community Services, because they provide a vital service to those most in need, especially during these difficult economic times.”
The remodel will be a daunting endeavor, requiring significant effort to plan, coordinate and implement, as well as thousands of dollars worth of equipment and supplies.
“I’ve been stunned by the outpouring of donations from our members,” added Riggs Thayer, a NARI San Diego chairman who is overseeing the project. “We have an incredible and generous membership that really cares about San Diego.”
Some supplies are still needed such as appliances, meals, lighting fixtures and more. Additional volunteers are always welcome.
Project Harmony is acutely needed as Interfaith Community Services struggles to support a growing homeless and unemployed population even as charitable donations continue to fall in the face of the lingering recession.
The San Diego Regional Taskforce estimates that there are over 9,800 homeless individuals living in and around San Diego. Interfaith offers 12 programs throughout North San Diego County that serves the needs of low-income, homeless and underserved populations. Interfaith has experienced more than a 50% increase in need over the past two years. The sharpest growth in those requesting assistance has come from first-time customers and two-parent families.
The Project Harmony remodel will take place on the second and third weekend of September. NARI San Diego has committed to an annual charity event and will select a different deserving organization to support each year.
NARI’s core purpose is to advance and promote the remodeling industry’s professionalism, product and vital public purpose. The San Diego chapter boasts a membership of over 50 contractors, sub contractors and suppliers who have committed to upholding NARI’s strict standards of honesty, integrity and responsibility in the conduct of business. Learn more about NARI San Diego at www.NARISD.org
For more information on Project Harmony, to donate supplies or to volunteer for the remodel, please contact Riggs Thayer at 619.684.4600 or Riggs.Thayer@ProBuild.com
Contact: Ryan Holmes
Phone: 619.445.1340
Email: Ryan.Holmes@Accelframing.com
August 24, 2010, 10:29 pm
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NARI NEWS
AUGUST 2010
Message from the President
Project Harmony Less Than a Month Away!!
 First off, please join me in extending our sincere appreciation to the fine folks at Marmol Export for hosting last month's "Show Me the Money" meeting. Our presenters David Keely from California Bank & Trust and Cathy Osberg from Dixieline Probuild Fund Control did a tremendous job as well. Thank you. This coming Thursday Borrelli Design + Cabinetry will host "Marketing to Win" with presenters Chris Williams and Bob Civello. We've all heard more than our fair share about the latest trends in social media, the do's and don'ts of website design, SEO, networking strategies, direct mail campaigns, ad infinitum. What would it be like if someone could show us tactics that are actually getting results (read Sales) that we can use now? Join us at 5:45 on the 19th to find out.
Next month, I am very excited to tell you NARI San Diego begins our first ever charity remodel event, "Project Harmony". I'd like draw your attention to some of the amazing efforts and accomplishments by our members and industry partners leading up to this incredible event.
During our holiday party last December, I challenged our members to create an extraordinary year in 2010. Of the many responses, the greatest impacts will likely come from "Project Harmony" which gets under way September 10th. The idea took shape at a planning meeting in January as way to support those in need in our community with remodeling.
Several board members, including Riggs Thayer and Sheen Fischer quickly formed a committee and the selection process began. The committee identified multiple agencies doing some great work, met staff and toured multiple locations of many different agencies and groups in the San Diego area. After some deliberation our board selected Interfaith Community Services and their "Harmony Building" for our project.
This was now May. We had a very clear set of goals. Three of the seven living units at Interfaith's location would be completely renovated during the course of two weekends. We began to plan for a September start.
A detailed scope of work, floor plan and a daunting estimate/wish list were quickly generated through several Committee meetings, site walks and brainstorming from a growing list of players. We realized we were going to need a lot more help to pull this off. You can see a growing list of sponsors on our website but I want to make sure to highlight just a few of the incredible DONATIONS so far:
· Laminate and Vinyl Flooring - ProSource and Armstrong
· Flooring Installation - Village Carpets & Baker Custom Flooring
· Plumbing Labor - Miramar Kitchen & Bath & Specialty Home Improvement
· Cabinets - Private Donor, Masterbrand, BMW Builders, Jackson Design & Remodeling
· Painting - Angel Painting and Frazee
· Drywall - Hoffstee Drywall
· Hauling/Waste - Escondido Disposal
· Interior Trim - Showcase Moulding
· Interior Doors - Priority Door & Window
· Plumbing Fixtures - Ferguson Enterprises
· Countertops - InCounters & Marble Works of San Diego
· Electrical - Preferred Remodelers
We have a long way yet to go and are still working on sponsors for appliances, meals, shirts & awards, lighting fixtures, and some others. Please contact myself or Riggs Thayer if you have an interest or a lead. We are also looking for volunteers the day of construction. You can find sign up forms and schedule information by clicking here.
As always, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work with such a powerful and driven group of people.
Respectfully,
Ryan Holmes
President
NARI San Diego
DATE: Thursday, August 19, 2010
TIME: 6:00PM – 9:00PM
CHECK IN: 5:45PM
LOCATION: Borrelli Design + Cabinetry
4411 Park Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92116
(619) 692-0734
"Marketing to Win"
Our First Guest Speaker is Chris Williams, CEO of 5 Star Direct Marketing
 5 STAR Direct Marketing is an exclusive Business Community that teaches Members and Clients effective strategies that creates direct responses from their targeted audiences.
With over 15 years of sales training and marketing experience, having marketed for the Tony Robbins Company, Joe Stumpf-Founder of By Referral Only Chris Williams is an entrepreneurial Business Consultant and founder who has turned the 5 STAR Direct Marketing Community into something unique, inviting and educational for their Members.
"Basic Business Structure and Management Strategies"
Our Second Guest Speaker is Bob Civello of Executives Impact Consulting.
 Mr. Civello is President and Founder of Executives Impact Consulting with headquarters in Carlsbad, CA, a Business Coaching, Consulting and Resource Center. Their Knowledge, Experience, Guidance and Resources have a Proven Impact on their clients' Sales, Marketing, Profitability, Productivity, Human Resources and Leadership.
With a B.S. in Marketing, Bob has 36 years of experience in marketing, sales, finance and management, becoming President of his own million dollar small business. Bob applies the wisdom acquired from a career of advancement with Fortune 500 firms such as Texas Instruments, Hunt-Wesson Foods and McKesson Drugs to get results!
August 24, 2010, 9:45 pm
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Press Release
For Immediate Release
National Association of the Remodel Industry – San Diego chapter announces “Project Harmony,” their first annual charity remodel event
San Diego, CA – In conjunction with Interfaith Community Services, the San Diego chapter of the National Association of the Remodel Industry (NARI, San Diego) announced plans today to move forward with their first annual charity remodel event. Dubbed Project Harmony, this charity event will focus on the improvement of several housing units that Interfaith provides in San Diego North County for disabled and displaced families.
Included in the scope of work for Project Harmony will be the complete gutting of the housing units, including kitchen, bathroom, doors, flooring and removal of the acoustic (popcorn) ceilings. New flooring, cabinets, appliances, bath fixtures, shower and tub enclosures, complete drywall repair and painting, lighting, ceiling fans, doors and trim throughout the units will be donated and installed by members of NARI, San Diego, their industry partners and community volunteers.
Lila Fetherolf, Interfaith’s Associate Director of Housing, stated shortly after a visit by the NARI, San Diego’s inspection team, “Interfaith's Harmony apartments provides a home for disabled individuals who would otherwise be homeless. Residents are also able to access critical supportive services vital to their unique needs.
However, the Harmony apartments were built in 1964, and they are truly in need of a makeover. With demand for all of Interfaith's services at all-time highs, and less donors able to give, Interfaith simply cannot afford the costs to remodel these units. We need the help of the community to make this happen, so NARI, San Diego’s ‘Project Harmony’ is a dream come true. Needed improvements can finally be made, and Harmony residents will be able to enjoy a more comfortable home for years to come.”
North County-based social service nonprofit, Interfaith Community Services, continues to experience record increases in the number of families seeking first-time assistance for emergency resources as a result of the economy. Compared to two years ago, Interfaith has seen a 58% increase in the number of people needing emergency services of food, housing, and employment assistance. Simultaneously, donations are down 53% over the same time period. The sharpest increases are in first-time clients and two-parent families, which is up 85%.
In regards to the search for a suitable project to commit their resources to, NARI, San Diego’s Riggs Thayer shared, “The selection process involved multiple phases. After meeting with many charitable organizations in the San Diego area, I found that our biggest challenge was not in finding a project, but in identifying a project whose scope and timing needs we could best serve with our available resources. After receiving a referral to Interfaith, I was able to tour their facility and receive an in depth briefing as to their client base, among them Veterans, homeless, seniors, and people with long term care needs.
One of the more compelling facts that Interfaith disclosed was that some of the people who had been past donors to their organization were now clients in need of Interfaith’s services. While all of the charities considered are great organizations that do wonderful work in the community, it seems that Interfaith had the greatest needs with the fewest resources and, at least for our inaugural charity remodel, was the organization that would benefit most from our assistance.”
“Interfaith's services have a profound impact on our community and NARI San Diego is proud to lend a hand," is the eloquent summary provided by Ryan Holmes, President of NARI, San Diego.
NARI's roots go back to 1935 when President Roosevelt's National Recovery Act established the beginnings of NERSICA (The North East Roofing, Siding and Insulation Contractors Association). In 1956 President Eisenhower established Operation Home Improvement, a nationwide effort emphasizing the rehabilitation of existing housing rather than new construction. The National Home Improvement Council (N.H.I.C) emerged from this effort. By the mid-1960s, NERSICA no longer reflected the membership of the growing industry and its name was changed to the National Remodelers Association (NRA).
In 1983, the National Remodelers Association and the National Home Improvement Council joined to establish the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). Today, NARI has 58 chapters nationwide and has enjoyed a sizeable growth period during the past decade. In 2000, NARI moved its national headquarters from Alexandria, Virginia, to Des Plaines, Illinois, and as the Voice of the Remodeling IndustryTM, continues to prosper.
NARI’s core purpose is to advance and promote the remodeling industry’s professionalism, product and vital public purpose.
Work on Project Harmony will be performed during two weekends in September, 2010, commencing Saturday, the 11th and concluding on Sunday, the 19th. Community involvement and donations will be accepted and greatly appreciated. These can be coordinated by contacting NARI, San Diego. Interfaith is a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization. More information on this project and NARI, San Diego can be found at www.narisd.org.
Contacts:
Ryan Holmes, President, NARI, San Diego
Riggs Thayer, NARI, San Diego Chairperson, Project Harmony
Sheen Fischer, Vice President/Public Relations Chair, NARI, San Diego
Lila Fetherolf, Interfaith Associate Director of Housing
Christine Vaughan, Interfaith Public Relations Coordinator
July 8, 2010, 9:58 pm
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Sheen Fischer, President, Specialty Home Improvement, Inc.
As many of you know, we have been working on the development of our new website for the last few months. It is a project we’re very excited about, as, in today’s competitive business environment, a functional, full service website can have a huge impact on the reputation and credibility of our organization.
We have designed this new website to serve as the face of NARI, San Diego. The vision is that the website will serve multiple functions at once while seamlessly integrating many aspects useful both to our membership and the general public (i.e., our potential clients).
You should find that this website will serve as our showroom - inviting current members, new members, potential members and potential clients to browse and learn as much as possible about all aspects of what NARI is and does.
At the website, potential clients will be able to find member contractors and sub-contractors with ease. Additionally, they will be able to browse the certifications of our members, award history and, for those with premium listings, jump right to the members linked website.
Current members will have a website that they are proud to direct their clients, sub contractors and business partners to when explaining that they belong to THE trade organization for remodeling!
Potential members will be able to learn what NARI is about along with the many great opportunities NARI membership can provide.
The website will also serve many administrative functions as well. Again, we’ve tried to include elements here that will benefit all who visit the site.
Current members will be able to view all upcoming meetings and special events online, in addition to registering and paying for those events right from the website. New members will be able to fill out an application and submit it online. Potential clients will be able to find and contact our member contractors and subcontractors directly.
Visitors to the site will also be able to read informative and educational articles about our industry. We will also have current information listed in regards to NARI National programs and the CotY Awards.
And, finally, there are tons of opportunities for all of our members to be active and involved with this site. THIS PAGE, for instance, is available for educational articles submitted by any of our members. The articles will be evaluated by the website team and those selected will run on this page in one month increments, complete with by-line and company affiliation of the author. All past articles will be archived on the site and remain accessible indefinitely.
You will also notice throughout the site ample opportunity for banner advertising. In addition, we will continue to offer premium listings with logos and links back to your websites. These banners and listings will be price extremely affordably, as our goal here is to provide additional exposure for our membership and our partners.
So here’s the scenario: a potential client finds your website. After browsing for a few minutes, they find your link to the NARI site. Once they arrive at the NARI site, they see your prominently placed ad banner, in addition to finding you listed in our members section. Of course, they are very impressed by the fact that you belong to a reputable, highly regarded, national organization that represents your industry!
Or: a potential client finds the NARI website – just what they were looking for. As they browse the site and become more and more convinced of our organizations legitimacy, they notice your prominently placed banner ad, which conveniently links to both your premium listing on the site and also to your website.
All of these synergistic things lead to one thing – more credibility and more business for all of us!
Oh, and by the way, if you don’t have ad ready copy, our website development team at Motionstrand has offered us very generous rates to help any of our members develop banners that they can keep and re-use as they like.
Welcome to the new face of NARI, San Diego. Cheers!
July 21, 2009, 3:24 pm
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