Rebuilding Together often draws comparisons with Habitat for Humanity, though it takes a slightly different approach.

Rather than building new homes, volunteers for the nonprofit organization improve existing homes.

“Our model is to keep home-owners in their home,” said Kimberly Hansen, executive director of the Greater Des Moines chapter. “(Habitat for Humanity) is building new homes for families. What we want to do is keep the housing strong.”

Rebuilding Together, which opened its Des Moines chapter in 1994, has completed 585 home projects to date, starting with three in its first year and working up to 83 in 2009. Almost all of the work is done by volunteers.

The group’s biggest event is in May, when volunteers work on homes throughout the Greater Des Moines area as part of Rebuilding Together’s national work day. The Des Moines chapter also does smaller projects throughout the year, including a “Rock the Block” day on Sept. 23 near the East Village, in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity’s “20 Days/10 Houses” program from Sept. 13 to Oct. 2. Sponsored by Wells Fargo & Co. and AARP, “Rock the Block” will have volunteers work on 11 homes. Meredith Corp. also is sponsoring a work day on Oct. 7 in the South Park neighborhood.

The majority of homeowners the organization works with are senior citizens, and all are living on low incomes, Hansen said.

“Chances are, they’re living off Social Security or less,” Hansen said. “When they have a broken window, they don’t have the money to fix that broken window.”

Beyond that, many of the projects are tasks the homeowners physically can’t handle.

Though a lot of those projects are scheduled work days, the chapter also started a senior emergency repair program last year to help senior citizens with unexpected repairs year-around.

Qualification for homeowners to get in the program follows guidelines based on family income and family size. The value of the home must be $134,000 or less. Once a house is selected, a volunteer group is assigned. A house captain will do a walkthrough with the homeowner to see what items can be fixed in a standard workday.

To apply for the program or to volunteer, call Hansen at 284-7403.