Builders Association makes over cottages at STEP2

Four cottages on the

campus have been completely remodeled.

"The flooring, the cabinets. The counters that they're putting in," said Step2 CEO Mari Hutchinson. "To remodel these cottages, I cannot express how grateful we are and how much it means to the women in our program."

The remodeling was made possible by the

(BANN), and its charity.

"It started with just a maintenance program," says Ryder Homes GM Steve Thomson. "We were up here doing maintenance and decided we can rehabilitate. We can rehab these."

It began last year, when BANN rebuilt two existing cottages. This year they've doubled that to four; with the goal to eventually remodel all 25 housing units. And it's all thanks to builders in Northern Nevada.

"It was unbelievable. There was no one at any point that said, no we can't help or we don't have time," said Toll Brothers Senior Project Manager Androo Allen.

"People you didn't think would do it were busy; they have other things going on, said oh no. We want in. We want to help," added BANN Director Don Tatro.

$200,000 of products and services were donated this year, with one specific company taking charge of one cottage each. Those who participated this year were Toll Brothers, Ryder Homes, D.R. Horton and Desert Winds Homes.

STEP2, a

Pillar Partner, is a rehabilitation and addiction treatment facility in Reno that allows women to maintain custody of their children while in treatment. The second step of the program is to live in those cottages as transitional housing before graduating from the program.

"The women who move into these cottages have worked hard, they're already 3 to 4 to 5 months into their program and they've done a ton of hard work," added Hutchinson. "And to be rewarded by being able to move into a beautiful cottage is such a neat thing."