Rebuilding Together Houston
"We asked for deliverables and got them back quickly…"
Founded as Private Sector Initiatives in 1982 and changing its name in 2003, Rebuilding Together
Houston repairs the homes of low-income people in the nation’s 4 th -largest city, focusing on military
veterans, senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. The organization has been making life better
for hundreds of people each year, and many thousands over its history, helping to rekindle community
spirit and restoring hope, independence, and safer, healthier environments.
The need for this critical work of revitalizing and strengthening neighborhoods was accelerated by the
devastation wrought in 2017 by Hurricane Harvey, which affected over 72,000 homes in Houston alone.
“It will take the city years to recover,” says CEO & Executive Director Christine Holland. “This is a
marathon, not a sprint.”
Hurricane Harvey created the need, and the opportunity, for Rebuilding Together Houston to more than
double in size. Meanwhile, Holland had just joined the organization, replacing a retiring CEO who had
also served as its controller. In late 2017, Holland was working with a consulting firm to determine how
to improve effectiveness and grow the organization. There were questions about how to include the
accounting component in that growth, and the firm recommended she contact Your Part-Time
Controller. The recommendation was echoed by the organization’s auditors who said they had heard
good things about YPTC. After several impressive meetings between YPTC personnel and the finance
committee, a relationship was started.
“I’m not a controller. We needed someone to take that role over and it’s been terrific,” says Holland,
describing the work of YPTC Associate Eric Wilson. “Eric is our guy. He’s really done a good job of getting
to know our staff and integrating into our group.” Wilson has been preparing for the audit, developing a
budget for the coming fiscal year, and creating new end-of- month reports.
“One of the true hallmarks that you’ve made a good decision about your accounting is when your
finance committee chair really approves of the person that you hired and of the work that they’re doing.
We asked for deliverables and got them back very quickly. We’re very happy with the decision we
made,” she adds.
“Eric communicates things to us in a clear and thoughtful manner. It also makes us feel good to know
about all the resources that we have because Eric works for YPTC. He has a great deal of nonprofit
expertise but because YPTC supports so many nonprofits we have every confidence that if anything
unusual arises all those resources are there. It’s reassuring to have access to the combined expertise at
YPTC.”
