Rebuilding Together Alexandria, a nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities, was the recipient of $50,000 from the estate of the late Catherine Joan Cole.

Coles bequest will allow Rebuilding Together Alexandria to continue to assist seniors in need as they conduct their day-to-day lives.

At a time when the nation is dealing with an unprecedented housing crisis, there is an overwhelming need for our work, said Gary A. Officer, president and CEO of Rebuilding Together. This bequest is a wonderful way for our Alexandria affiliate to continue their year-round efforts for the elderly homeowners that they serve.

A long time Washington-area resident, Cole worked in public relations, serving as the publicist for the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program from 1983 to 1997 and at the Hecht Company for more than 20 years. In 1995, she was voted Woman of the Year by Washington Women in Public Relations. She was married for 60 years to Dr. Hugh Cole, a prominent military historian. During the last years of her life, Mrs. Cole cared for both her husband and her daughter until their deaths, and understood the needs of seniors and their caregivers.