About Us

Rebuild the Block Foundation was created from a passion to rebuild and restore Philadelphia neighborhoods that have been overlooked and forgotten.

After seeing so many abandoned properties and families struggling to find affordable housing, we decided to take action — one block at a time. What started as a small effort to fix up a single home has grown into a movement to empower residents, provide opportunities, and bring pride back to our communities.

Our mission is to rebuild and restore communities by turning abandoned properties into affordable, safe, and beautiful homes.

We are committed to empowering families, creating opportunities for homeownership, and bringing hope back to neighborhoods that have been forgotten.

Through collaboration, education, and hands-on rebuilding efforts, we’re transforming blocks and changing lives—one home at a time.

Your support helps Rebuild the Block Foundation continue our mission to turn abandoned houses and vacant lots into affordable, safe, and beautiful homes for families, veterans, and seniors throughout Philadelphia.

You can support in many ways:

• Make a one-time or monthly donation to fund materials, construction, and community projects.

• Sponsor a renovation or adopt a block for neighborhood restoration.e

• Partner with us through your business, church, or organization.

• Spread the word by sharing our mission on social media and encouraging others to get involved.

Every contribution—big or small—helps us rebuild homes, restore lives, and revive the heart of our city, one block at a time.

Rebuild the Block Foundation was built from resilience, purpose, and a shared belief that every person deserves a safe, stable, and beautiful place to call home.

Founder Lisa Kennedy and Co-Founder/Partner Maurice Whitfield both know firsthand what it feels like to be without one.

At just 17 years old, Lisa found herself homeless with a baby—walking the streets of Philadelphia and writing down the addresses of abandoned houses, dreaming of one day turning them into homes for families like hers. Years later, through the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s Dollar Program, she purchased her first property for one dollar. It took her six years of working three jobs to renovate that house and raise her children there, learning every part of construction through trial and perseverance. That journey taught her not only how to rebuild a home—but how to rebuild a life.

Maurice’s story mirrors that same strength. Growing up in a North Philadelphia rowhome and raised by a single mother of four, his family lost their house when he was just 14 years old, leaving him homeless and determined that it would never happen again. He earned a full scholarship to Norfolk State University, went on to play professional basketball in Europe for 10 years, and when his athletic career ended, he came back home to Philadelphia to rebuild—literally. Maurice purchased a vacant shell in Brewerytown, rehabilitated it by hand, and turned it into the home he proudly lives in today. With over 25 years in the construction and renovation field, he brings expertise, leadership, and the voice that represents the foundation’s mission in the community.

Together, Lisa and Maurice combine their experience, passion, and purpose to form Rebuild the Block Foundation—a nonprofit dedicated to transforming blighted houses and vacant lots into affordable, livable homes, while restoring pride and hope across Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.

Their mission is to revitalize communities, prevent homelessness, and empower families, seniors, and individuals to achieve stability and dignity through homeownership and neighborhood renewal.

At Rebuild the Block Foundation, rebuilding houses is just the beginning—they’re rebuilding hope, unity, and opportunity across the city, one block at a time.