Restoring Homes. Touching Lives.

Hearts & Hammers is on a mission to keep people in the homes they love. Serving the Twin Cities, MN and Dallas, TX communities.

Hearts & Hammers volunteers improving a home's exterior
A volunteer posing while smiling with a homeowner

How We Work

Hearts & Hammers assists low-income homeowners struggling with deteriorating home exteriors. Often these neighbors face the reality of losing the place they love. We provide free exterior restorations to keep that from happening.

Planks of wood being sawn outside

The Hearts & Hammers Mission

To provide exterior home improvement assistance for Senior Citizens, Disabled Individuals, and Veterans of the United States Armed Forces or their Surviving Spouse so that they may continue living independently.

Volunteers painting a home

Our History

In 1986, Peace Corps volunteer and architect Bob Walker, along with a group of fellow Peace Corps volunteers, sought a social activity that utilized their experiences for the benefit of the community. They began by refurbishing an elderly minister’s home right in their town of Dallas. The next year, they tackled nine more homes. Soon after, Hearts & Hammers was born. Following his 1997 relocation to the Twin Cities, Mr. Walker created the Minnesota chapter of Hearts & Hammers, which continues to expand its work annually.

We are proud to report that Hearts & Hammers has grown from one home painted by twenty-four volunteers to thousands of volunteers who have refurbished thousands of homes across the Twin Cities and Dallas. 

Hearts & Hammers volunteers in front of a home

Our Impact

In a time when affordable housing is reaching a crisis level, we provide home rehabilitation for naturally occurring affordable housing for those who have difficulty performing the task or simply cannot afford it.

Hearts & Hammers has restored over 8,500 homes in the Twin Cities metro area and Dallas since 1986! 

There really is no place like home.

Whether you’re a homeowner looking to apply, a volunteer who needs guidance - we can help!

Governance

We wouldn't be here without our Hearts & Hammers Board of Directors and Leadership Staff.

Josh Carr profile
Joe profile
Elling Olson profile
Karen Bach profile
sam head shot
A man wearing glasses and a black sweater with a blue collared shirt underneath
sakura
Sean Carney profile
Max
Michelle head shot

Officers

Karen Bach | Chair | Retired – Phillips & Temro Industries

Sean Carney | Vice Chair | Bell Bank

Tony Yankauskas | Treasurer | CMA

 

Executive Staff

Randi Prebil | Executive Director

Claudia Boysen | Executive Admin

Ashlyn Ottersbach | Program Director- Dallas

 

Board of Directors at Large

Charles CampionFinal Coat Painting

Bob Walker  |  Founder

Board of Directors

Joe Pritzkow | Mortenson

Elling OlsonTindol Construction

Josh Carr | Kraus-Anderson Construction

Sakura Rudart | Target Corporation

Max Romanaggi | UnitedHealth Group

Michelle Montes | Emerson

Samuel Verduci | Tennant Company

 

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