Our ARC home project wraps-up

DreamBuilders worked with the Arc of Howard County on one of its group homes in Ellicott City this spring. In March, we improved the basement with newly framed walls, a handrail for the steps, and a custom door. In April, we worked outdoors, building a wheelchair accessible ramp with a handrail for entry to a screened porch. The residents now have better control over where they choose to spend their leisure time! Thanks to all of our volunteers who helped support this effort.

Measuring for footers to support the new ramp. More photos at: our facebook page

What a wonderful, successful night!

Thanks to everyone who helped make our Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction a success! We raised over $22,000 to help defray expenses for our 2019 building projects in Puerto Rico, Pittsburgh, and Howard County. Whether you planned, organized, donated, cooked, served, bid, hauled, set up, tore down, ate, bought, or sold–it is very much appreciated! Special thanks to Delusions of Grandeur for their musical boost to the evening; they really rock! Kudos to Sugar Mamma Bakery and the Gelven Family for their respective donations of delicious “HOMEmade” cookies and wines. Also, congratulations to Matt Lazas, raffle winner of the iPhone!! DreamBuilders extends huge thanks to our community for supporting the team effort. You really help turn dreams into reality!

Win an iPhone XS Max

iPhone XS Max Super Retina custom OLED display (photo courtesy of Apple)

Take a chance to win Apple’s top end iPhone in support of DreamBuilders.
$20 per raffle ticket / $50 for 3 raffle tickets
Only 200 tickets will be sold!

This all-screen design, measuring 6.5 inches, is the largest ever on an iPhone. Includes 256 GBytes of memory, dual 12MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras, silver case.
No SIM card included. Take the device to your cellular provider and they’ll add the device to your plan. Retail value is over $1,300.

Drawing will be held at 8pm on March 9, 2019 at the conclusion of the Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction at Temple Isaiah in Fulton. Need not be present to win. For tickets, contact: mailto:john.mcbeth@verizon.net

Basically, Apple’s top end phone. Definitely worth taking a chance!

More about the XS Max: the OLED panels give the sharpest displays, with the highest pixel density, of any Apple device. With support for Dolby Vision and HDR10 titles from iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video, wider stereo playback makes it all sound great. Your HDR photos — even those you captured before — will have a 60 percent greater dynamic range. A six-channel light sensor subtly adjusts the white balance onscreen to match the color temperature of the light around you. So images on the display look as natural as on a printed page and are easier on your eyes. The most durable glass in a smartphone, sealed and precision-fitted with the surgical-grade stainless steel band, helps create a more water-resistant enclosure — up to 2 meters for 30 minutes. iPhone XS even resists spills from coffee, tea, soda, and more.

Make an Impact! 2019 Summer Mission Trips: home-building in Puerto Rico or Pittsburgh

Our scouting team visits a home awaiting repairs in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood

Help families return home in Puerto Rico following the devastation of Hurricane Maria, or help families in great need of affordable housing in Pittsburgh. Priority registration is open; general registration begins 2/24/2019. Both DreamBuilders mission trips offer meaningful hands-on construction opportunities and fellowship. Teens must have completed 9th grade to go on a mission trip. For more details and registration: Puerto Rico or Pittsburgh



Spring Local Project – Sykesville: Sign-up for February 23 Work Day

The homeowner helps with interior paint

Help us finish repairs to a house in Sykesville in Howard Co. owned by a young military family. Remaining tasks include: insulating the basement; painting walls, ceilings, doors, and trim; flooring; and miscellaneous tasks (such as installing door knobs, venting, and a basement stair handrail.) Twenty volunteers are needed. The work day is 8:30am – 4pm. If you cannot work the entire day, just note your available hours on the form. Cost is $10 per missioner for materials. Lunch, water and snacks are provided. For more details, see the sign-up link.

Register for February 23 work day

Spring Local Project – ARC: Sign-up for Work Days

Interior and Exterior improvements are scheduled for Spring

DreamBuilders and The Arc of Howard County share a long-standing partnership to improve homes for developmentally and cognitively challenged individuals. Together, they foster community acceptance and inclusion for Arc clients. This spring, we’ll renovate a group home in Ellicott City. This two-part project involves improving a basement and a screen porch. On March 16 we will begin work on the basement area, which is in need of new 2 x 4 frame walls, a handrail for the steps, and a custom door. The screen porch requires wheelchair accessibility, to include a ramp with a handrail, along with removing panels to cut in new door openings, and reframing. Our follow on work day for this project is planned for Saturday, April 13. We will be completing all outstanding tasks left after the first work day. The house is located on Valley Road in Ellicott City. This effort literally improves Arc clients’ choice and control over where they live and spend their time! We can use 20 volunteers each day. The workday will be 8:30 – 4pm. Lunch will be provided. Cost per volunteer is $10. For more details, please see the sign-up links.

ARC Work Day, March 16 Sign-up

ARC Work Day, April 13 Sign-up


Volunteer to work at the Spaghetti Dinner

Our highly capable waitstaff delivers dinner to guests.

We ask all teens, particularly those going on a mission trip this summer, to work a shift at the spaghetti dinner if at all possible. We have plenty of opportunities for adults to volunteer, too. We work in two shifts, from 4:45-6pm and from 6-7:30pm and we have a variety of jobs available in both shifts. Click Spaghetti Dinner Work Schedule
to sign up. Thank you for helping at DreamBuilders most important annual fundraiser!

In Search of…Fabulous Auction Items

Themed Silent Auction basket of Fine Wine and Chocolate

To make our 14th annual Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction a successful event, we need your help! You can support DreamBuilders by donating items to the silent auction. Sports tickets, vacation rentals, gift baskets, wine and restaurant gift cards, dinners, service projects, tours, jewelry, children’s items…anything you would like to contribute (unused items only, please) will help raise money for our mission trips. See the Silent Auction Solicitation Letter for more information and a letter to present to businesses when soliciting donations. All gifts tax deductible and greatly appreciated!

To donate to the silent auction, contact Cathy (heycathy@verizon.net) or John (john.mcbeth@verizon.net)

We’re counting on your support…

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS AN ARCHIVED POST FROM 2019

We hope you’ll join us for a fun evening and bid on a wonderful selection of auction items, including: sports, theater or special event tickets, vacation getaways, artwork, memorabilia, themed baskets, fine wine, gift cards, and children items. This is our major fundraiser; all proceeds will support DreamBuilders mission trips and projects throughout the year. Please come and bring your family and friends, too!

Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction takes place March 9th, 2019 5-8pm at Temple Isaiah in Fulton.