Dr. Beth O’Connell, Assistant Professor in East Tennessee State University College of Public Health’s Department of Community and Behavioral Health, is named a 2022 Coalition for Home Repair Community Builder. The national award recognizes people whose engagement, leadership, and volunteerism create a thriving community of home repair professionals nationwide.
Dr. O’Connell has been involved in the Coalition since 2020. “Beth’s help with evaluation and data analysis for falls prevention and VHRMP are critical skills and we’re grateful for her support,” the Coalition’s website stated. “She is a valued individual member of the Coalition.”
Dr. O’Connell joins a nationwide roster of Community Builders, all representing staff of home repair nonprofits. The Coalition for Home Repair (formerly ReFrame), headquartered in Jonesborough, Tennessee, is the premier nonprofit organization promoting and supporting the work of home repair and rehabilitation partners nationwide. They provide funding, advocacy, and educational resources to ensure the preservation of safe, healthy, affordable housing for all. In the last five years, Coalition members completed more than 71,000 home repair projects at nearly 38,000 homes in 38 states, improving the quality of life for about 89,000 people. This includes 29,000 older adults, 20,000 people living with disabilities, 10,000 children, and more than 3,000 veterans.