Home at last: A celebration years in the making

December 2025

UPDATE!

As of January 19, Kevin and Noelle are officially home!! Thank you so much to Hector Gomez at Accredited Business MUV Relocation for donating his moving services at 100% in-kind. Once again, we're blown away by the generosity of the many businesses who banded together to send this family home. Because of you, they are sleeping under their own roof - at last. 

December 2025

I’ve been saying this for months now, but this time it feels different: we made it.

After more than a year of rebuilding, rerouting, reworking, and refusing to give up, the Cook St. Project has officially reached its completion, and we welcomed Kevin and Noelle back to the home they’ve been dreaming of for years. And what a moment it was.

I’ve shared so many updates about this project, but what happened in these final weeks deserves its own chapter.

Thanks to the continued leadership of Scott Kirkegaard and Jon Crabtree at AJ Kirkegaard Contractors, donations continued pouring in right up to the finish line. In an interview I did with Scott and Jon (which you’ll see in our upcoming highlight videos), Scott shared something that was truly groundbreaking:

Not one single subcontractor they reached out to for help said “no.”

Everyone who heard about this rebuild—and learned how Scott and Jon had been volunteering their time week after week for more than a year—wanted to help. They told me this project not only changed the way their subs view them but also inspired these partners to give back too. It’s a powerful testament to who Scott and Jon are, and the kind of people they surround themselves with.

And the goodwill just kept growing.

Advantage Electric cut their fee in half and installed robust recessed lighting throughout the house. The first time I flipped the switches, I felt chills. The warm, even lighting illuminated every inch of new work—every piece of craftsmanship, every choice of material, every act of generosity that got us here.

Then came another surprise: Baron Glass offered to donate the shower door design, glass, and installation 100% free of charge. The bathrooms were already stunning with their fixtures, tile, and countertops, but this was the perfect finishing touch. Truly the icing on the cake.

Tile Solutions Denver contributed a deep discount on tile installation for both bathrooms—an enormous help—while Builders FirstSource donated all the trim materials, from doors to casings to every finishing detail that makes a space feel polished and complete.

And then… the celebration.

On December 16, more than 20 people gathered at the Cook St. home: BBB Foundation staff, AJ Kirkegaard Contractors, Denver7 News, and many of the generous businesses who donated their time, labor, and materials. It was 66 degrees outside (in December!), and we all stood together with Voodoo donuts, hot coffee, and full hearts.

Denver7 covered this story, which you can view here: Colorado community rallies to rebuild after contractor betrayal

We mingled in the sunshine, shook hands with people we’d only known through emails and texts, and took a moment to truly see what we had built—together. I was able to share that 25 businesses contributed to this rebuild, many donating 100% of their services. In total, this project resulted in nearly $300,000 of donated labor and materials, most of which was secured by Scott and Jon. Incredible doesn’t begin to describe it.

One of my favorite moments was surprising Jon (Scott was out of town and sorely missed) with the inaugural Pillar of Trust Award, presented by BBB Foundation. This award was created because of them—because of their unwavering commitment to seeing this project through, their leadership, their generosity, and the community they inspired along the way.

Kevin and Noelle were understandably emotional during the entire celebration—and honestly, so was everyone else. Seeing this house, once left in disrepair and heartbreak, finally restored… it was overwhelming.

Kevin told me it will probably take a couple of months before he wakes up one morning and says,

“Wow… I’m home.”

If there’s anything I’ve learned through this journey, it’s that restoring trust doesn’t happen in one big moment. It happens in dozens of smaller moments that add up—moments of generosity, compassion, honesty, craftsmanship, teamwork, and community.

Kevin and Noelle are two of the kindest, hardest-working people I’ve ever met. After everything they endured, they finally get to return not just to a house, but to a home rebuilt by people who showed up, stood by them, and proved what good businesses can do when they lead with heart.

We are hard at work on the highlight videos for this project, and I cannot wait to share them with you. They will capture the magnitude of this rebuild and the impact of every single person involved. This was our first, largest, longest, most complicated—and without question—our most rewarding Restoring Trust® project to date.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible.
And to Kevin and Noelle—welcome home.

Yours in trust,
Meghan Conradt, Director of BBB Foundation

A Year in the Making: The Cook St. Project Nears the Finish Line

October - November 2025

You can help us finish this project strong and donate to cover labor and materials costs here.

It feels like every time I blink, there’s something new happening at the Cook St. Project. This home rebuild has been steadily progressing all year, but the last couple of months have been a flurry of activity; so much so that it’s hard to keep up! As always, Scott Kirkegaard and Jon Crabtree, co-owners of our project partner AJ Kirkegaard Contractors, have continued to work tirelessly to send Kevin and Noelle home. They've now spent over a year of their own time volunteering on this project and have helped gather over $100,000 in donated labor and materials - making them the poster child business for everything Restoring Trust® stands for. 

After more than a year of hard work, delays, pivots, and pure perseverance, the finish line is finally in sight. And what a humbling sight it is.

When Dan Gieck and his team at DGco Builders, a BBB Accredited Business, jumped in to tackle the drywall phase, the transformation was instant. The first day I walked into the home after the walls were up, I was overwhelmed. What had been a construction site for so long suddenly looked and felt like a real home again. Dan and his crew were enthusiastic and eager to help throughout the process—Dan even volunteered his own time to hang sheet rock free of charge, trying to contribute in every way possible. Their generosity and craftsmanship completely shifted the energy inside the house.

And it didn’t stop there. Ramon with Aztec Foundations donated all the concrete work—an unexpected and incredible gift. It’s amazing how many of AJ Kirkegaard Contractors’ subs have chosen to deeply discount or donate their services once they learn about Kevin and Noelle’s story. Glenn with GMS Construction, AJK’s framing sub, even cut his fee in half after hearing why this rebuild mattered so much. That kind of goodwill continues to ripple outward with every partner who joins in.

After drywall came trim and cabinetry, which completely elevated the home’s interior. Plato Woodwork graciously donated all the cabinetry 100%, and Coeur Interiors designed the cabinet layouts for the kitchen, bathrooms, and primary bedroom closet. The finished product is absolutely stunning— custom and beautifully crafted. 

When our original countertop donor could no longer contribute, we found ourselves in need of a quick pivot. That’s when Eric at Instone Granite & Marble, a 16-year BBB Accredited Business, stepped in without hesitation. After sharing the Restoring Trust program on the phone with him for 20 minutes, Eric offered to donate 100% of the countertop materials and installation labor. It was unbelievable. The instant commitment to generosity never stops amazing me.

Then it was time for interior paint, and another Accredited Business jumped in to help. Rob Peterson at Paint Denver had responded to one of my e-blasts earlier this year, asking how he could get involved with Restoring Trust and the Cook St. Project. Rob and his team waited patiently through our delays with mechanical, plumbing, and electrical work, promising that when we were ready, they’d spring into action—and they did. Paint Denver donated the entire interior paint job, valued at over $10,000, and Sherwin Williams donated the paint, allowing Kevin and Noelle to pick their colors freely. They chose a neutral white for most of the home, with a couple fun accent walls to bring personality and warmth into their new space. Paint Denver did an amazing job, and their crew was so warm and enthusiastic, clearly putting intention into every brush stroke. 

Meanwhile, Chris Coleman with A Perfect Plumber—another incredible Accredited Business and returning partner—once again went above and beyond. When we realized the home needed a new hot water heater, Chris secured a donated tankless system and said he’d install it himself, also performing all plumbing trim at no cost, just as he did for rough-in. Chris truly embodies the spirit of community and trust that this program represents.

And speaking of generosity, Blayne Patrick at Specialty Appliance, another longtime BBB Accredited Business, donated brand-new kitchen appliances valued at over $3,800, including the refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher—all delivered and waiting to be installed.

As if that wasn’t enough, Matt Wasserman with Innovative Design, a landscaping subcontractor for AJK, offered to donate brand-new landscaping to help the home shine inside and out. After more than a year of focusing on the interior rebuild, this is the perfect finishing touch. When Kevin and Noelle return home, they’ll be greeted not only by a beautiful interior, but a refreshed, welcoming exterior too.

This project has been more than a year in the making, and every step has brought us closer to this moment. The next update I share will be our wrap-up celebration with Denver7, where we’ll gather with everyone who helped make this possible to reveal the finished home and welcome Kevin and Noelle back.

They’ll be moved in by Christmas—a full-circle ending that feels like the best holiday gift any of us could ask for, but especially for them.

We’re inviting all the businesses who contributed to this rebuild to join us on-site to celebrate, meet one another, and wish Kevin and Noelle well as they finally go home—to the legacy home they dreamed of building three years ago.

You can help us finish this project strong and donate to cover labor and materials costs here.

Yours in trust,
Meghan Conradt, Director of BBB Foundation

From setbacks to solidarity: teamwork in every trade

June - September 2025

You can still support Kevin and Noelle’s rebuild here: Help Kevin and Noelle Rebuild Their Home

Like most major renovation projects, especially those that begin with damage control, we’ve hit a few speed bumps. Swapping bathroom layouts to meet city code, reworking plans around hidden structural issues, and navigating inspection requirements have kept us on our toes. But if there’s one thing this project has shown us over and over again, it’s that the right team makes all the difference.

Enter Sam Severns from Accredited Business Canosa Hills Design, who carved time out of his schedule to meet us on-site and draw up new bathroom layout sketches, completely free of charge. Sam even has experience working in trauma-informed design, including with unhoused individuals, and he shared with me that design itself can be a form of healing. That sentiment really hit home—especially on this project.

From there, we were able to complete the plumbing and mechanical phases with more generous partners stepping up and get ready for the next big phase: insulation.

Rod Siegfried with Impact Heating and Cooling, one of AJ Kirkegaard’s (AJK) trusted subcontractors, offered to provide all mechanical work and equipment at no cost—that includes HVAC, A/C, and venting!

Chris Coleman at A Perfect Plumber, a BBB Accredited Business and friend of AJK, donated 100% of his labor to complete all plumbing rough-in. On top of that, he coordinated with Denver Winnelson to secure a full donation of plumbing materials. Both Chris and Denver Winnelson plan to return to help with plumbing trim-out as well. Incredible!

And after we officially passed mechanical, plumbing, and electrical inspections (truly a major milestone for all of us), we were finally ready for insulation. That’s when Kukis Moran, owner of iFOAM – Greater North Denver, came through in the biggest way. Months ago, Kukis committed to donating both the materials and full installation of the spray foam insulation. I happened to be at the house the day her team was working and as fate would have it, Kukis pulled up right as I was also arriving. I got to thank her in person, side by side in front of the home she’s helping bring back to life. It was one of those moments that stops you in your tracks and reminds you why community collaboration matters so much.

Up next: drywall and flooring.

Dan Gieck with DGco Builders, another BBB Accredited Business who answered our call for help, is generously providing a steep discount on both materials and labor for the drywall phase. And BBB Foundation will cover the remaining cost of drywall to keep the momentum going! Once drywall is up, I think the space will finally start to feel like a real home again—a visual shift that makes all this work feel tangible.

And Ben Larrabee, owner of Pro! Flooring, is helping procure laminate flooring, which follows soon after drywall. He generously met us at the home one day to take measurements and hosted Kevin and Noelle at his showroom so they could pick out the flooring they wanted themselves.

We couldn’t be more grateful for this growing list of businesses that continue to step up and ask: “How can we help?”

How YOU Can Help

As we move into the next phases, we’re still in need of support. If you or your business can contribute in any of the following areas, or if you’d like to make a donation here, here’s what it will go towards funding:  

• Flooring installation

• Trim materials and finish work

• Installation of cabinets, countertops & appliances

• Landscaping and yard clean-up

This rebuild is a marathon, not a sprint—and the finish line is coming into view. Every hand, every dollar, every donated supply brings Kevin and Noelle closer to going home.

And I have to say: our village? It’s the best one around.

Questions, ideas, or interest in donating? I’d love to hear from you: [email protected]

Yours in trust,
Meghan Conradt, Director of Foundation

It takes a village: Denver7 returns to give a glimpse behind the walls

April - May 2025

You can still support Kevin and Noelle’s rebuild here: Help Kevin and Noelle Rebuild Their Home

We’ve officially taken the house down to the studs.

When our partner, AJ Kirkegaard Contractors, started digging in—literally—it became clear that this was the only way forward. Demo-ing the interior of the home wasn’t what anyone hoped for, but it turned out to be necessary. Once we saw the bones of the house, and the extent of the shoddy work performed by Schwalb Builders, it was both shocking and strangely relieving. At least now we can build the home back up the right way to ensure total safety, with quality and integrity guiding every step.

Plumbing, mechanical, and electrical rough ins have begun, and if you’ve never seen what it looks like to rip out concrete from a basement floor and lay new plumbing, it’s an eye-opener. I joined a couple workdays at the beginning of this phase and was blown away by the scale of it all. Fixing this damage isn’t cosmetic, it’s foundational to the viability of the entire house. 

To keep the momentum going and show the community how they can help, Denver7 returned to share an in-depth follow-up. Consumer Investigative Reporter Jaclyn Allen gave viewers an inside look at the current progress—and reminded everyone that Kevin and Noelle’s journey is far from over. Their story continues to resonate across Colorado, and since the piece aired, more viewers, business owners, and supporters have stepped up to ask: How can I help?

Watch this latest Denver7 story here:
BBB Foundation requests donations, supplies for Denver family after contractor woes

Donations are still crucial to bridge the gaps left behind by Schwalb Builders. Every dollar helps Kevin and Noelle reclaim the safe, livable home they were robbed of. We’re still also actively seeking donations of building materials and supplies. Since the latest Denver7 story aired, we've had a few generous leads from local businesses interested in contributing tile, backsplash, and plumbing fixtures. These contributions make a direct, tangible difference and are what will get us across the finish line!

But we’re not done. Not even close. This rebuild is massive, and it’s going to take every ounce of energy, time, and generosity we can muster. The good news? Our village is growing. More contractors, suppliers, and supporters are stepping in every week. The spirit of this community is alive and well, and it's carrying Kevin and Noelle closer to home.

If you or your business would like to contribute, please reach out to me anytime at [email protected]. Let’s keep building together.

Yours in trust,
Meghan Conradt, Director of Foundation

Let’s turn rubble into renewal: support Kevin and Noelle’s rebuild

February - March 2025

Please consider donating to this BBB Foundation Restoring Trust® project here: Help Kevin and Noelle Rebuild Their Home

I keep thinking of the adage: “Sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better”. When it comes to repairing Kevin and Noelle’s house after Schwalb Builders had their hands on it, this sentiment seems to ring true.

After Scott with AJ Kirkegaard Contractors met with the city to conduct a building inspection on the house, he told us they determined the best move forward is to demo (yes, demolish) the interior so we can be sure all work is up to code. The mechanical, plumbing and electrical inspections produced the same recommendation: most everything in the home needs to be re-done. Essentially, the work already performed was so poor that it is safer and makes more sense to start from a clean slate than to try and work with what’s there. Although this wasn’t the news anybody wanted, Scott framed it in a realistic yet uplifting way when explaining it to Kevin and Noelle: this is a blessing in disguise because this allows us to obtain a true scope of the conditions present and create an end product that is not only beautiful and functional, but safe and reliable for years to come. And Kevin and Noelle certainly deserve this.

Donations of supplies and labor continue to roll in, thanks to our Accredited Business partner: AJ Kirkegaard Contractors. AJ Kirkegaard has secured donations for new cabinetry, countertops, and appliances, with more rolling in. Ultimately, the team mentality and relentless pursuit of our common goal of sending Kevin and Noelle home continues to provide upward momentum.

But here’s the deal: although these Accredited Businesses have secured an impressive amount of donated materials and labor (what’s looking to be over $100,000 worth), they are not able to absorb all the costs themselves because of the large scope of the project. Kevin and Noelle are still left with a sizable cost that they’re working to finance. Our immediate objective is to decrease this finance amount as much as possible and that’s where we need you: would you be willing to consider a contribution toward this project? No donation is too small and anything we raise will help bridge the gap to ensure this family moves back into a safe, complete, beautiful home. Your donation isn’t just going toward building materials and skilled labor costs – it’s also going toward restoring trust and restoring hope for a family who has lived in a nightmare for the past year and a half.

You can donate to this project here: Help Kevin and Noelle Rebuild Their Home

Thank you, thank you, thank you in advance. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or ideas; we all have to get creative to make this work! [email protected]

Yours in trust,

Meghan Conradt, Director of Foundation

Suppliers stepping up: ripple effects courtesy of Accredited Businesses

January 2025

BBB Foundation and AJ Kirkegaard Contractors continued working on Kevin and Noelle’s project throughout the holidays at the end of 2024. It wasn’t easy obtaining permits and scheduling the needed inspections during this time, but it was amazing to see the business’ dedication to keeping the project moving forward, even at a time that many organizations are understandably not as dialed in.

While we scheduled inspections and waited for those results to help us better determine the full scope of work, we received an exciting and humbling update from AJ Kirkegaard’s cabinetry supplier, Plato Woodwork. Scott from AJ Kirkegaard told us that after speaking with Plato Woodwork’s owner and sharing Kevin and Noelle’s story with him, he offered to donate all the cabinetry for their kitchen re-build. This was something we were hopeful that suppliers might be compelled to help with, but certainly wasn’t expected. It is so incredible to see the generosity of businesses and their owners in action and watch the ripple effects continue to make impact!

There was also a development on the legal side of the story on Monday, January 6 after the owners of Schwalb Builders, the contractors who left Kevin and Noelle in this situation, were arrested after a grand jury indictment. They were ultimately charged with more than 30 felonies for defrauding customers and taking in more than $1.1 million from those customers, which was not spent on the projects they promised to fulfill. Kevin and Noelle represented just one of many lawsuits against this company and I know it was relief for them and everyone involved to see these contractors held accountable for their actions.

In the meantime, while the legal system works to help restore what was lost from a financial perspective, we’re committed to restoring what was lost not just from a housing perspective, but an emotional one. Like I’ve mentioned before, Kevin and Noelle understandably lost a lot of trust in contractors and home services businesses after what they went through. But they’ve also expressed their immense gratitude for these partnered Accredited Businesses and their commitment to making things right, which has started to help them slowly regain that trust they lost. It goes to show we decided on an apt name for this program: Restoring Trust®.

What kinds of ripple effects have you witnessed between businesses? At the end of the day, these companies don’t just have suppliers and subcontractors – they have relationships and partnerships. I’d love to hear other examples of how businesses work together to foster goodwill in our community, because this is proof it’s happening all the time.

Yours in trust,

Meghan Conradt, Director of BBB Foundation 

A collaboration spotlight with Denver7

December 2024

One of the aspects of the Restoring Trust® program that continues to amaze and energize me is witnessing the expansion of people and organizations that want to get involved in a goodwill project once they hear more about it.

My contacts at Denver7 reached out to me several times over the last couple of months asking about the progress on Kevin and Noelle’s house. They originally broke the story in early 2024 and were eager to do a follow up since there’s been movement on both the legal side of the story and now the home restoration side, through Restoring Trust. They told me there were developments with Jason Krueger, a construction law attorney who’s been working on Kevin and Noelle’s case pro bono to try and recoup even a fraction of the money they lost to Schwalb Builders. We thought this would be a good opportunity to pair the legal update with an update on the incredible work AJ Kirkegaard Contractors are doing to determine the scope of work on the home and develop a plan to rebuild it.

Jon from AJ Kirkegaard, Jaclyn Allen and Joe Vaccarrelli from Denver7, and I met Kevin and Noelle at their house to shoot the story. It was pretty cold on this particular morning and the chill was especially noticeable when we were inside the house – it’s been sitting without heat for months now and I know it’s hard for Kevin and Noelle to be there any time while it’s in an unlivable state, but I think it’s even worse during these winter months that magnify its derelict atmosphere.

Jaclyn began by interviewing me and asking why I, and BBB Foundation as a whole, felt compelled to help Kevin and Noelle and make their house our first Restoring Trust project. This was easy to answer – the more I connect with them and get to know them as people, the more I’ve come to know kind, humble, and hard-working individuals who are continuing to deal with unimaginable trauma from being displaced from their home. Jaclyn also asked me why I think the Accredited Businesses wanted to get involved and that was easy to answer too: they told me they believe it’s not only the right thing to do, but that giving back is part of their company’s core values, which are based on family and taking care of one another. Also, this is an opportunity to reclaim the trustworthy reputation of their industries, which often gets marred by dishonest contractors that can give other businesses in those fields a bad name. To The T and AJ Kirkegaard are anxious to show Kevin and Noelle, and the greater Denver community, how honest and ethical contractors do business.

During their interview, Jon and Scott with AJ Kirkegaard shared that they do not plan to charge Kevin and Noelle anything for their services as they coordinate the kitchen re-build project and also work with their suppliers to gather donated materials, such as cabinets and countertops. Kevin and Noelle were both emotional upon learning of these plans and described feeling very overwhelmed, along with a mixture of lots of other emotions. I know they’re incredibly grateful for these amazing kindnesses and think the world of everyone involved. I also know they’re very hard-working and independent and want to contribute to this project wherever they can. 

Check out this Denver7 story and put the faces to all these names here: Contractors offer help to Denver family after unpermitted, unsafe remodel

This was exactly the connection we needed right before the holidays and in preparation to kick-off more movement on this project in 2025. AJ Kirkegaard is working now to get the building permit approved so they can initiate the inspections needed from the city to confirm what is up to code and develop a full scope of work.

I can’t wait to share more with you as we continue to dig (literally) and determine exactly what we’re dealing with in terms of repair needs. Although I know the challenges may get worse before they can get better, I know we also have incredible support from multiple entities in the community that are here to ensure the support grows faster and bigger than any challenge that may present itself.

Are you supporting people with massive challenges during this holiday season? What kinds of charitable endeavors spark your energy? I’d love to hear from you and always enjoy “talking shop” when it comes to community support, no matter the initiative. Please always feel free to reach out to me with your thoughts: [email protected]

See you in 2025!

Yours in trust,

Meghan Conradt, Director of BBB Foundation 

Finding past Torch Awards businesses to help

October - November 2024

To get the red tag removed by the city and go home, Kevin and Noelle need working heat, a functioning kitchen, and a door and closet in their bedroom. So, I began to look through our past Torch and Spark Awards participants in the HVAC and building industries. 

After reaching out to a few businesses, AJ Kirkegaard Contractors immediately got back to me with a simple sentiment: "We want to help! What can we do?" This company is a past Torch Awards finalist, which means they rose above many applications as one of a handful of businesses seriously considered for the Torch Award. This is no small feat, as the application process rigorously measures the company's commitment to leadership character, workplace culture, customer relationships, and community support. The community support pillar is the lynchpin that ties our awards programs to the Restoring Trust® program. Lots of businesses excel in outstanding customer service and creating healthy workplace cultures for their team members, but not every one makes an effort to give time and money back to their communities. To be named a Torch Awards finalist, a business' ability to demonstrate efforts around donations, volunteering, and in-kind work for the community is key. Ultimately, these are the businesses BBB Foundation wants to call our partners and work many hours with to help consumers that come to us for assistance. 

Scott Kirkegaard is the third generation business owner of AJ Kirkegaard Contractors and shares the company with co-owner Jon Crabtree. We met Kevin and Noelle at their home to connect in person and conduct a site evaluation to see exactly what needs to be done. This was a great opportunity for everyone involved in the project to not only see the site firsthand, but also get to know each other since we are all on the same team with the same big goal: get Kevin, Noelle and their family home. When we all saw the home that day and its unlivable state, we didn't just see a house in need of repairs - we saw a family that needed some hope. Scott even expressed his anger that day, saying he couldn't believe someone called themselves a contractor and a legitimate business, only to leave the house destroyed and steal Kevin and Noelle's hard-earned money. Needless to say, we all became even more fired up to get to work. 

The next steps on this project involve pulling permits and conducting more evaluations to determine the full scope of work needed to complete these immediate needs. We're working on this as we speak and I'm excited to share our next update with you once we have our plans in place!

Until then, I'd like to pose this question: what does trust mean to you? For myself, I used to think of trust as a big, abstract concept. But through the work of Restoring Trust, I see how trust is built little by little based on human interactions. Even though we talk a lot about the businesses that are stepping up to help families in need like this, there are always people behind the business. And their reliability, kindness, and willingness to go the extra mile is what fosters the journey of restoring trust in not only contractors, but other people in general. 

BBB Foundation can always use help with funding for programs like Restoring Trust and the projects we're working on. If you're interested in supporting us, please visit the link here. 

Yours in trust,

Meghan Conradt, Director of BBB Foundation

Hearing Kevin & Noelle's Story

July - September 2024

My name is Meghan Conradt and I'm the Director of Foundation for Better Business Bureau. I couldn't be more excited to share this journey with you as I've worked over the past couple years to rejuvenate and reinvent our BBB Foundation, the charitable entity of Better Business Bureau. When our Board and Executive Team decided to revive our charitable arm and asked me to lead the charge, I came to the table with a background in Marketing, six years of BBB experience, and unbridled enthusiasm for the chance to effect change in our community. 

Through this role as a nonprofit leader, I've been privileged to sit at the helm of developing a new program that allows us to provide tangible help to consumers who come to us for assistance. Here's how it started: because I've also lead the BBB Torch and Spark Awards programs for years, I knew there's a wealth of Accredited Businesses in our community that are dedicated to giving back and helping people around them. On the other hand, I also knew BBB receives lots of reports from consumers who are targeted by scams or have poor experiences with businesses - sometimes resulting in money loss or even worse (keep reading). I had a lightbulb moment one day: what if we could find a way to connect these two groups and work to solve some of the issues we're seeing with fraud in our community? Why not help consumers who need to recover find resources and solutions in our Accredited Businesses who are already engaging in outreach work? Thus, the BBB Foundation Restoring Trust® program was born with a purpose to help people recover from fraud by connecting with BBB's network of outstanding Accredited Businesses that want to help.

One of our partners I "kicked the tires" with while building Restoring Trust was none other than Denver7, our local media group who we often collaborate with for stories on consumer tips and best practices. They shared Kevin & Noelle's story with me and told me why they think this family would be a great candidate for our "maiden voyage" project. Boy, were they right. 

In 2023, Kevin and Noelle hired Schwalb Builders to renovate their 1951 bungalow, hoping to create a legacy home for their kids. But after paying Schwalb their life's savings, the contractor took off with their money and left them with an unfinished remodel that was red-tagged by the city. Kevin, Noelle, and two of their kids had to leave their home and start paying rent and mortgage every month. 

Although the Restoring Trust program was new and still in the building phase, I knew that Kevin and Noelle were representative of many stories we at BBB often hear from consumers. Contractor fraud is a multi-million dollar issue in the United States every year and home improvement scams were named the fourth riskiest type of scam in the 2023 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report, with a susceptability rate of 75% and a median dollar loss of $2,073 per consumer. These are the people that I and BBB Foundation want to help most and not only restore their homes, but also restore their faith in trustworthy businesses. 

I spoke with Kevin and Noelle several times on the phone to hear their story firsthand and listen to understand what they need to move forward. These conversations were emotional, to say the least, and the more we connected, the more impassioned I became about helping them get on track to go home. One of the things we talked about at length was their loss of trust in people, especially contractors. After not only losing a huge sum of money, but also the home they've loved for 18 years to a dishonest business, they described their feeling of having "contractor PTSD". But, they also knew that the only way to restore their home is to let someone inside and correct what was done, which will require trusting someone again. This is where I felt that BBB Foundation could really make a difference: by recruiting businesses that not only do good work, but go above and beyond the call of duty to help people in the community and will treat fraud survivors with the sensitivity and compassion they deserve.

So, it was time to identify the businesses that I believe could answer this call. It couldn't be just any business in our database, but had to be someone we know for certain has an exceptional track record and an affinity for charitable endeavors. That's why we decided to start with our local network of Torch and Spark Awards winners and finalists: BBB's best of the best! So, I got to work sending emails and making phone calls. 

Please take a moment to watch the Denver7 story on Kevin and Noelle here. That's when you'll be able to truly feel the gravity of what this family has gone through. And let us know your ideas: do you know of businesses in your community who would be good for Restoring Trust projects? Do you know suppliers who might be willing to donate materials? Are you looking for volunteer opportunities for yourself and/or family? This effort takes a village and we can't wait to see how our village grows. 

Yours in trust,

Meghan Conradt, Director of BBB Foundation