Our presenter on the 7th was Chris Lambert, founder of Life Remodeled. (Pictured between Liz Vogel and Ted Everingham)
Life Remodeled is bridging people across divides to help transform each other’s lives. Since 2014, the organization has spent $35 million working on four schools (Cody, Osborn, Denby, and Durfee Elementary), the first three still operating as schools with Durfee becoming an innovation society. All of this work, plus cleaning up blight in 1,660 city blocks was accomplished through the help of over 68,000 volunteers.
Other work that the organization performs includes repairing owner occupied homes by providing either a new roof, furnace, or windows. Believing that working shoulder to shoulder on projects allows polar opposites to find common ground, it offers “race remodeled”, a program bringing people of different backgrounds and race together to have difficult discussions.
The Durfee Innovation Society is a way for Life Remodeled to create a dynamic environment for the best and brightest, instead of creating new programs themselves. It is very selective in picking its tenants, requiring that they either work in education, or human resources or offer workforce development. For the community, the location offers a safe center for online learning and after-school tutoring. Pre-pandemic, it also offered space rentals and programs/events for children, youth, adults, seniors.