United Rentals and popular television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition recently re-partnered to build three homes and a church in Katrina-ravaged Louisiana. The project also marked a milestone for United Rentals, which recognized its employees’ involvement in the construction of 20 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition construction projects with an online photo gallery at unitedrentals.com.
Three years after Hurricane Katrina, the Gulf region is still struggling to recover from one of the most devastating natural disasters in U.S. history. Multiple generations of the Usea family were living in a small, single-family home in Westwego, La., while twin brothers Brad and Chad, both volunteer firefighters, continued to work to rebuild their community. The Usea family received three new houses from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which also rebuilt the decimated Noah’s Ark Missionary Baptist Church of New Orleans in seven days.
United Rentals donated the use of more than 150 pieces of equipment coordinated through its branches in Saint Rose and Geismar, La. In addition, its employees provided more than 125 hours of assistance on site. Builders traveled from Mississippi, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Montana, North Dakota, New York, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, New Mexico and Arizona to join local contractors. The challenging construction feat airs in a two-hour season finale on ABC on Sunday, May 18, at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
“United Rentals has a long legacy of community involvement and volunteerism,” said Michael Kneeland, CEO. “We believe that we have a responsibility to be a good neighbor and a positive role model in the hundreds of cities and towns we serve. Our employees have done an exceptional job of supporting Extreme Makeover: Home Edition — not only in Louisiana, but also across the country. In the process, they have helped improve the quality of life for many deserving families.”
Prior to New Orleans, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" partnered with United Rentals in the Northeast, where the crew designed and built new homes for families in Warwick, R.I., and Maynard, Mass. The Maynard project airs on ABC on Sunday, May 11, at 8 PM Eastern Time.
Headquartered in Greenwich, Conn., United Rentals is No. 1 on the RER 100.
