Renewal

One of the sad realities of Habitat for Humanity is that sometimes families are unable to stay in their homes.  Sometimes life circumstances get the best of them and they can no longer afford the mortgage.  Sometimes they choose to stop making payments.  At our affiliate, these former Habitat homes are typically cleaned up and rehabbed a little bit before being sold, but recently the decision was made to rehab one for a new Habitat family.

It was our first time doing that, and from a Family Services standpoint, we weren't quite sure how to go about it.  At our affiliate the wallraising and the key ceremony are the two most important days for our family.  But since this house already had walls, we needed to think of a new way to make it special.

I came up with the name: Renewal. It's only one word, but it carries so much in its meaning and connotation.  It definitely set the stage for a good event.

At wallraisings, volunteers typically write their sentiments on the studs.  We didn't have exposed studs, but we still wanted to give people the opportunity to leave special messages for the family.  We decided to roll with the season, and brought a small fir tree with ornaments that people could write on.  It looked cute, was perfect for December, and will certainly be special when the family gets to plant it in their yard.

But the best part of this Renewal was most definitely the family.  They are the most gracious couple I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.  Both husband and wife come from very humble backgrounds and could not be more thankful that they are receiving the opportunity to be homeowners.

From the moment she stepped onto the site Antonia was squealing with joy, hugging everyone in sight and exclaiming about how perfect everything was going to be.  Robert stood in more quiet contemplation, soaking it all in.  When we started, Robert offered the opening prayer, repeatedly voicing his gratefulness that the people of Habitat exist and work hard daily to make home ownership a reality for low income families. 

It's so interesting to me to see how different homesteaders react emotionally to the Habitat process.

There are tears, there are smiles.  Some are talkative, some can't find the right words.  The common thread is that they are all thankful, but the pure joy displayed by Antonia and Robert was definitely my favorite Habitat aura thus far.  Their presence at their Renewal certainly helped to renew my dedication to my service this year.

Stick it to Stupak

As a young American, the health care bill is really important to me.  As someone who is currently dealing with no longer being covered by my parents' insurance policies and trying to figure out my own, the health care bill is really important to me.  As a woman who cares about having control over my own body , the health care bill is really important to me.

There are so many issues at hand with this health care bill.  Our lives are literally on the line, so it is no wonder that people are scared and worried.  It's especially scary because it's just not feasible for the average citizen to wrap his or her mind around the entirety of this bill, no way to read every page and provision, no way to understand every proposed amendment.

Still, several issues have managed to make their way to the forefront because of their partisan and controversial nature.  I am not registered with an political party because I am unable to align myself enough with any one to justify doing that, but I am very sure of my thoughts on many of the issues being currently discussed by our Senators today.

When the bill went through Congress, Congressmen Stupak (D-MI) introduced an amendment that was subsequently accepted by Congress.  To overgeneralize, this amendment bans any coverage of abortion in the public option and also stops those who receive a federal subsidy from getting an insurance plan that covers abortion.  What it comes down to is a huge, likely impossible, hurdle for many women to get an abortion in America.  Is that fair?  Me thinks no.

So I decided to do something about it.  I, like many people, am often angered by the actions of our politicians.  I talk about what I wish Congresswoman Soandso had done or how I wish Senator Fillintheblank had voted.  But I, like most people, never told my Congressperson or Senator that.  I came to realize today that this was silly and Senators Gillibrand and Schumer should know exactly what I thought about Stupak and his ideas.

I was super nervous at first, but I called the general operator that can connect you with any Congressional office.  She told me that the line at Senator Gillibrand's office was busy but offered me the direct number so I could call myself, and then proceeded to also give me the number for Senator Schumer.  This woman was totally awesome and, without actually saying it, totally encouraged me to continue on my mission.

I called Gillibrand first because I knew that she is very set on preventing Stupak-esque language from entering this health care bill.  I was put on hold and after a few minutes a young sounding aide answered and listened to me talk about how this health care bill is really important to me as a young American woman and he assured me that the Senator is working hard to make sure my voice and opinion is heard, at which point I asked him to thank her and wished him a great day.  Not only was it easy, it was super exciting!  When I put down the phone I had such a rush!

Unfortunately, Senator Schumer's office had a busy signal that I could not get past even though I called repeatedly throughout the day.  Still, I am happy that I did something rather than sitting idly by, hoping Congress does not take away my reproductive rights.

Aid and AIDS

Today is World AIDS Day.  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "World AIDS Day is observed every year on December 1st. The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988. World AIDS Day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic."

Why should we care though?  What makes AIDS so important that it needs a day where the whole world should contemplate, learn, and take action?

Well, contemplate this: over one million Americans are living with HIV. One Million.  That's a huge amount of people.  Contrary to popular belief that it's a problem from decades ago, or that you only have to worry about it if you're gay, HIV and AIDS are prevalent in this country.  It's a very significant problem in America, effecting every race, gender, age group, and social class.

I really like the suggestion made my Samhita at Feministing.  In her post she says "As someone who has friends that have suffered with and without support, through shame and a world that discriminates, and has worked to overcome my own fears, I strongly recommend reading some stories, educating yourself and breaking out of the cycle of shame by talking."  So take a look at the stories from the AIDS Memorial Quilt, or people currently living with HIV.  Read about Ryan White, and his struggle with discrimination and perception.

But don't stop there.  Learn about the global problem.  Throughout the day I've come across these facts: 

• Africa is home to ony 10% of the world's population, yet that's where 67% of all HIV cases are.
• 2 Million children under the age of 15 live with HIV.
• 2008 saw over 2 million AIDS related deaths.
  

I know that Africa is suffering from the widespread damage of HIV.  I know that globally lots of children have the disease.  I know that many people die each year from AIDS related causes.  But seeing the numbers written out like that makes my heart stop.  They are cold hard facts that many of us already know, but don't these number scare you?

So we contemplated.  We learned.  What do we do now?

There's actually a lot to do, and if you've read this far, you're already equipped to do it.  Advocacy may seem like a small thing, but it can make a huge difference.  Awareness about HIV/AIDS is very much needed.  People need to know how HIV can and cannot be contracted and what it is doing to our global community.  You don't have to become a professional AIDS educator and make those presentations that many of us snoozed through in grade school.  You can tweet a link to the World AIDS Campaign, or post a Facebook note about travel restrictions placed on people who are HIV positive.  You can wear a red ribbon to show your support for the cause.  Show it off.  Tell people about it.  Encourage people you know to wear one too.

And as cheesy as it sounds, you can by something from (Product)RED.  Sure, it might be better to send $50 directly to HIV/AIDS research, but let's be honest...are you actually going to do that?  I know that I haven't.  But I also know that I would have bought that cute Inspi(red) tee shirt from Gap even if the proceeds weren't going to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS.  At least this way 50% of my money was donated.  I get to wear a cool new shirt, feel good about shopping with a conscientious company, know where my money went, spread the word, and show people I care without even trying.

I leave you with a grammar lesson.  "HIV virus" is redundant, as HIV stands for Human immunodeficiency virus.

Now go off and advocate!

The Youth is Starting to Change

When I was on the board of the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity at Syracuse someone was trying to start a Youth United group.  At the time it was way over my head, and I had no understanding of what it was.  There was discussion of building bird houses with middle school students, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out how that was connected to Habitat.

When I started at HFH Suffolk, I learned that Youth United is in fact a program from Habitat for Humanity International that is run by youth for youth, bringing together young people from all walks of life to play active roles in transforming their communities.  Essentially, YU brings together people between the ages of 5 and 25 to sponsor and build a house in their community while also increasing advocacy.  What it comes down to, in my opinion, is that Youth United is pretty freaking awesome!  It's education, it's service, it's leadership, and best of all, it's fun!

In September I added Youth United to my action plan for the year.  I made it my goal to learn more about the program and to see if I could help implement it here at HFH Suffolk.  I attempted to tackle it later that month by checking out the website.  I thought it was a little vague and found myself going in circles around the site, so I quickly gave up.

Fastforward to the National Service Leadership Conference a few weeks ago.  At a Baptist retreat center in Talladega, Alabama, approximately 700 Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps came together to train, learn, and share.  That was where I met one of my new favorite people, Larry.  Larry is an AmeriCorps member working in Americus, Georgia for Habitat for Humanity International as a Youth United specialist.  Get it!  I made a mental note that Larry would be my key to success in forming a Youth United here.

Fastforward again to the end of the conference, and press skip through scenes of two dedications, a week without a boss, and various other displays of chaos.  As I checked my emails and phone messages, I got a phone call from none other than the fabulous Larry from Youth United!  He was calling to let me know that in his work he found out that someone from Habitat Suffolk had actually submitted a YU letter of intent in 2003, meaning that, technically, we already have a Youth United group.  According to Larry, we already have some great things in place.  Our annual Student Build involves hundreds of students from dozens of schools who are already involved with fundraising and building, and many of them practice advocacy as well.  We also work with Girl Scout troops to do other types of service work, including serving meals to volunteers and putting together gifts for Habitat families.  If we can pull it all together with a youth-run governing body, we will have all the pieces we need for a legitimate Youth United group.

Needless to say, I'm really excited about this.  I found our last Student Build to be pretty anticlimactic because none of the students seemed to have a personal connection to Habitat for Humanity, but I feel really optimistic about the fact that Youth United can be the factor that ties it all together.  With help from Larry I am excited to see the young people of this community come together to advocate, fundraise, and build.

Be Kind. Rewind.

Today is World Kindness Day.  In that spirit, I bring you the Charter for Compassion, and invite you to sign it and make it a part of your life.

A call to bring the world together…

The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.
It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others—even our enemies—is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.
We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings—even those regarded as enemies.
We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensible to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community.

Visit charterforcompassion.org

World Habitat Day!

It's World Habitat Day!

Advocacy isn't really something this affiliate focuses strongly on (which is something I hope to change) so we don't have a special event planned for today, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't take a moment to think about it.

Habitat for Humanity is an amazing organization that has built more than 300,000 houses world-wide in its 33 years. It's an organization that I love and hope to support throughout my life.

One of my goals for this year is to learn as much as I can about HFH, and I thought today was a perfect opportunity to do some research on international affiliates. I've discovered that while we at Suffolk tend to focus on our income cap, many international affiliates are focused on their income minimum. Dan, our executive director, was telling me that when he went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic the affiliate didn't have an income cap. With practically everyone living in substandard housing the affiliate was essentially looking for anyone who had land to build on and could afford the mortgage, including their board president.

I also found that HFH is becoming more and more involved with the concept of microfinancing, an idea that I am very much in love with. Habitat works with microfinance institutions (MFIs) in a few different ways, including outsourcing credit service so that partner families' loans are managed by these institutions, thereby helping both the family and the MFI. They also have a program called Building in Stages, where homes are built one stage at a time with a small loan that needs to be paid off each time in order to start the next stage.

Of course, I love my experiences with Habitat Suffolk and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be serving the community that I have called my home for virtually my entire life, but learning about the larger vision of Habitat International always makes me energized.

You don't have to love Habitat as much as I do, but I hope you'll take the time to consider supporting the HFH mission.

The Gift of Gifts

My first house dedication with this affiliate was right before I started working with them.  In fact, it's where I said yes.  While I already knew that I was going to do it, being there for the event definitely pushed me into wanting it even more.

I watched as all of these people gathered in and around the house, looking at all of the rooms, admiring the new flowers.  A table in the living room was covered with gift baskets for the family.  One woman had brought a twelve pack of tissue boxes, complete with giant bow, with the top corner unwrapped and tissues already sticking out for the tears that were sure to come.  The corporate house sponsors were there to present the homeowner with gifts and warm words.  Volunteers who had worked on the house were there, proud of their handiwork, and excited to have made a difference in the lives of Yolanda and her children.  I cried even though I didn't know anyone there.

My second dedication was completely different.  It was the Student Build house, worked on by hundreds of students from three dozen schools all across the Island.  But not a single student came.  There were no gifts, apart from a card I made and a repaired lawnmower donated by a board member's church.  There were a few staff members, a handful of Family Support Committee members, and some close friends of the Fuentes family.  And that was it.  The priest never even showed up to do the blessing.

Last week I went to my third dedication.  This house was sponsored by a local high school.  They brought busloads of kids who had volunteered, including the entire cheerleading squad and a jazz band.  They set out a table full of baked good and more gift baskets than we knew what to do with.  A week or so earlier, we had been contacted by a group of mothers who wanted to contribute.  They promised three baskets and ended up bringing seven.  We held the dedication in the backyard because everyone couldn't fit in Tina's new house.  The local news channel came and filmed the entire event.  The store owner from across the street came to present Tina with a gift certificate.  At the end of the day, we put all of the gifts away, and they all barely fit in the pantry.  The home was busting with food, appliances, bedding, gardening tools, games, and all kinds of other stuff.

I was amazed by the outpouring of consideration manifested in  material.  I became a little annoyed that the previous family had received so little in comparison.  But then I stopped to think...they did get a home.  Why didn't I feel like that enough? 

I've decided that it is a pretty wonderful gift in and of itself.  But it wasn't the lack of presents at the Fuentes dedication that bothered me.  It was the lack of emotion.  There weren't enough people there to feel the positive energy pulsating in the air, the Habitat love that I feed off of.  It felt like we were all just going through the motions. 

This week, we've gotten calls from all kinds of other donators.  An interior design group will be completely outfitting the next home.  The entire network of public libraries in Suffolk County will be donating approximately 30 gift baskets to our next dedication in Bellport.  Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn will be partnering to do up the kitchen in the Westhampton house.  I know that we can't control when we get these calls and we have no power over who will donate what and when.  But I do wish that the love continues to be spread.  That every dedication can be full of community spirit and warmth.

And that is one of my goals for the year.  I want to do everything in my power to make sure that every volunteer has the opportunity to feel the cause.  I can't make anyone do anything, but I want people to feel connected to the homes they work on, to the families they build for.  I want every dedication to be bursting at the seams with warm and fuzzy.

Working That Net

I've been going to several events as part of the Community Outreach aspect of my job, and I really enjoy it.  While trying to convince random people to volunteer with or donate to Habitat isn't very easy, I've found that talking to the people at the other tables is.  In the past couple of weeks I've met a lot of fabulous individuals from some really excellent organizations.

I guess that you could say that I'm networking, making connections and adding names to my proverbial Rolodex.  The concept of networking is a funny one in my mind.  There's the idea of meeting the people whom it would be advantageous to have a connection with.  And then there's the idea of exchanging business cards with everyone in the room.  I feel as though the latter is pretty prevalent, but it seems pointless to me.  What am I going to do with the card from a person I don't have any connection with and barely remember?

Well, I'd throw it away, but I guess that's not true for everyone.  After all, the concept of Six Degrees of Separation isn't completely made up.  The idea is that we're all just five personal connections away from each other.  And it's not because there are so few people in the world.  It's because of those business card collectors that just seem to know everyone.

I'm not the card collector type.  In fact, it's taking me quite a bit of effort to try to force myself do it a little bit more.  It's not that I don't like talking to people.  We know that's not my issue.  My problem is that I'm looking for more than a phone number and an email address.  I'm looking for a reason to remember you.

Recently I've found a lot of really good reasons.  During these community events I get to hear about all kinds of really great local, national, and international organizations that have amazing missions.  But even better than being introduced to the groups is getting to meet the people who represent them.  Because they are people who are working towards a goal, serving their community with a guided purpose.  People who care.  People like me.

And that's pretty exciting.  I understand that working in service isn't for everyone, and I don't expect it to be.  But it is very disheartening to be told that you're making the wrong decision by going into this field, that you're hurting yourself by trying to help others.  Meeting the people at these events lifts me up.  It shows me that I have made the right choice.  That there are other people just like me who love the thrill of helping another human.  And that I should keep at it.

So that's how I network.  I exchange cards with the people that I want to talk to, the ones who are on my path, that have accomplished a piece of what I'm looking for.  That might come back to bite me if my yard develops a bamboo overgrowth problem, since I threw away the card from that guy who would not stop talking about the building potential of bamboo.  But for now I'm content with my collection of cards from cool folks doing their part to be the change.

Gooooooooooal!

As part of my AmeriCorps year, I had to put together a Member Development Plan, which is really just my goals and such for the year.

Service Goals
Volunteer Recognition
I know that positive reinforcement is a very strong tool and I would like to utilize that in volunteer services. I would like to regularly update the website with photos and blurbs from each Sponsor for a Day, in order to help them feel good about their accomplishment and to show Habitat’s appreciation for their hard work and support. I would also like to do occasional volunteer spotlights that feature inspiring stories about why people volunteer for HFH.

Volunteer Communication
I would like to better utilize Facebook.com as a tool for communicating with out volunteers. After taking pictures at the worksites, I want to post them promptly so that people can tag themselves and show them to their friends. It is also a great way to share volunteering opportunities and a venue to cross post our monthly newsletter.

Increase Interfaith Service
Habitat for Humanity was built upon the idea of the “theology of the hammer” bringing people of different faith traditions together in common action for a common good. I would like to explore this ideal and increase its presence within the affiliate. My first goal is to read Millard Fuller’s The Theology of the Hammer to get a full understanding of the concept and to better share it with others. I would then like to reach out to various faith groups in the community. HFHS currently has many groups that volunteer from Christian churches, particularly of the Methodist and Lutheran denominations. I would like to expand that to other Christian denominations as well as groups from other faith traditions, including but not limited to Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Baha’i. Ultimately, I would like for these groups to build a home together in cooperation. I would also like to place special focus on encouraging the involvement of youth groups from various faiths.

Student Involvement
HFH Suffolk has a Student Build that brings in students from all across Long Island to support our mission and build a home. I would like to expand this program. Student involvement in the past build did not seem to go beyond each chapter’s individual build days. I would like to encourage students on the future build to meet and reach out to the homesteading family, to attend the dedication, and for the relationship to not cease at the end of the workday. I would also like to involve younger students. At schools that already participate, volunteering is limited to older students as per Habitat regulations, but younger students should be encouraged to volunteer in other ways, like serving meals to working volunteers, raising awareness, or bringing gift baskets to the house dedication. Using Connetquot’s school district as a test, I would like to see their Habitat program expanded to include students in younger grades, with presentations about the mission of Habitat for Humanity, and encouraging children to be creative in their support of HFH’s mission.

Educational Goals
Habitat for Humanity
My goal is to learn as much as I can about the operations and workings of Habitat for Humanity, specifically the Suffolk affiliate. I would like to understand how all of the different departments work separately and together to achieve their goals.

Faith and Volunteering
I would like to better understand Millard Fuller’s concept of “The Theology of the Hammer” and its continued influence on Habitat for Humanity. I would also like to learn about the motivations of the individual faith groups that come to volunteer with HFHS. In the future, I plan to study the influence an individual’s past and present faith tradition has upon their thoughts and actions towards society, and I would like to take this opportunity to talk to people about how their faith brought them to participate in service.

Similar Organizations
I would like to have a better understanding of other organizations that do similar work to HFH. I would like to learn more about Section 8 housing, the Long Island Housing Partnership, and the Community Development Corporation, as well as any other organization that Habitat works closely with. I would also like to learn about other organizations that our affiliate does not specifically work with but whose efforts may be similar to ours, such as Rebuilding Together, and the Long Island Land Trust.

Professional Goals
Planning
I would like to improve my planning skills this year. In the past I have often procrastinated or not fully thought out all of the steps it might take to achieve a long-term goal. I would like to work harder at making and keeping long and short term goals to gain the most out my service here.

Stand Beside Her, and Guide Her

I don’t want this to be another cliché piece about where I was when I heard about the planes hitting the towers.  It doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t matter if you were in Manhattan or Minnesota.  No matter where we were, we were all in the same place.  A place of shock and fear.  A terrible place where our innate sense of security was absolutely trampled.

What matters is where we are now.  President Obama declared today a National Day of Service, and I think he expressed my own feelings when he said

"On a day when others sought to sap our confidence, let us renew our common purpose, let us remember how we came together as one nation, as one people, as Americans united. Such sense of purpose need not be a fleeting moment.”

And he’s right. In the months following, everyone was flying a flag on their front porch, sporting a patriotic bumper sticker, wearing that requisite lapel pin. Everyone was talking about patriotism, and freedom, and what it means to be an American.

I can honestly say that I have never felt so American in my life as I do now, as an AmeriCorps volunteer. This is what being an American means to me.  I truly believe at the core of this country is the underlying sense of responsibility to do right by each other.  To take care of our ourselves by taking care of each other. 

I know that means something different to everyone.  What I want it to mean is that you do something for someone today.  Take that sense of purpose you felt on September 12, 2001 and renew it.  Follow through on it, eight years later.  That might mean installing sheetrock for a single mother stuggling to give her son a safe home.  Or maybe it means donating a few bucks to the Red Cross.  It could mean helping someone pick up the change they dropped. 

No matter what you choose to do, it means that you remember, today and everyday, what it means to be an American, and to cherish it.

Git 'er Done

I will get things done for America-

to make our people safer,

smarter, and healthier.

I will bring Americans together

to strengthen our communities.

Faced with apathy,

I will take action.

Faced with conflict,

I will seek common ground.

Faced with adversity,

I will persevere.

I will carry this commitment

with me this year and beyond.

I am an AmeriCorps member,

and I will get things done.

A couple of days ago, I started seeing story about Obama's address to students pop up on the news sources I follow.  I didn't pay much attention to it.  I thought it was a cool idea and figured I would have an opportunity to see or read it more closely when it actually occurred.  Then I started seeing pieces about the uproar by some parents.  And then I had to figure out what was going on.

"At 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time (ET), September 8, 2009, President Barack Obama will deliver a national address to the students of America. During this special address, the president will speak directly to the nation's children and youth about persisting and succeeding in school. The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning."

Okay, sounds harmless.  Except for the fact that this speech came along with optional lesson plans, which suggested that elementary school students "write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president."  That's where people started to freak.  So the administration took it out.  Now it says that they can "write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short-term and long-term educational goals."  Sounds pretty harmless, especially considering the fact that all of this is optional.  No student has to watch this address and no teacher has to follow the suggestions in the lesson plan.

But people are still freaking out.  Honestly, I didn't understand the hoopla in the first place. The original suggestion sounded very much like Kennedy's "ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country."  Is that dangerous?  Is that an attempt to indoctrinate the innocent children of America and mobilize them as a sort of Dumbledore's Obama's Army?  Regardless, I don't think there was this much uproar when Reagan addressed students in 1986, or when G. H. W. Bush did in 1991.  And it boggles my mind that so many people can forget that these two events happened and state that this is a daring new move by the Obama administration.

But the point is...are we being indoctrinated?  That's kind of a scary thought.  I sure hope not.  Granted, Glenn Beck did recently tell America that Obama is growing the AmeriCorps as his own SS.  And honestly, that offended me.  I did ask what my country could do for me, and the answer was that it could provide me with this opportunity to do something for my country.  And I'm doing it for a bare-bones living stipend.  No one has "indoctrinated" me into choosing this year of service.  And I have yet to be approached to fight for Obama's secret mission. 

Mr. Beck mocked the AmeriCorps pledge.

Now, I'll be honest, I did find it kind of amusing when I read this pledge in my binder on Tuesday.  But let's make this clear:  I read this pledge, I didn't take it.  I didn't actually pledge anything.  To me, this pledge is more of an idea, an explanation of what my goals are for this year.  And it doesn't seem all that unreasonable.  I do want America to be safer, smarter, and healthier.  I do want stronger communities in this age of isolation and apathy.  I do want to take action, seek common ground, and persevere.  And shouldn't it be everyone's goal to get things done?

I am a member of the AmeriCorps, and I am proud of that.  I tell everyone that I meet.  And it was my choice.  I decided to do this.  And no one can or should reduce that to an insinuation of brainwashing.

And we're off!

Well...we're officially AmeriCorps!

On Saturday we all finally met each other.  Richard (Family Services) and I went to college together and know each other from Alpha Phi Omega.  Aaron (VISTA for Green Building) is from Arizona and actually went to summer camp for a few years with a friend of mine from grade school.  Katie (Construction) just finished a year of NCCC based out of Boulder, Colorado.  And..we're all absolutely fabulous!

On Saturday we all had dinner at the local Friendly's, and then came back to the house for conversation and a bottle of Summer Blush from Pindar, one of the local wineries.  The main conclusion was that we're all pretty chill people who seem to be on the same wavelength, which will definitely make living together a lot better.

Yesterday I moved into the house, for the week at least.  Aaron and I did some groceries, and when Richard and Katie came home, we all made dinner.  We had some really delicious homemade pizza with a great salad.  I'm really excited that, to some extent, we're all foodies.  We agreed that we'd love to have group dinners at least a few times a week.  The cooking is sure to be exciting!

Today was our first day in the office, and we (Richard, Katie, and I) spent the entire time filling out paperwork with Kathy while Aaron just looked on and laughed.  You wouldn't think that there would be such a drastic difference between the AmeriCorps programs, but Aaron is a VISTA and had significantly less paperwork, the majority of which was done online.   But we did get manage to get through it, and I think being stuck together in the conference room was a kind of bonding experience.

Four Years Later

As I'm sure you've seen all over the news media, this weekend marks the four year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina touching down on the Gulf Coast.

I first visited the area in December of 2007.  With a group from our campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity, I spent a week in New Orleans during my winter break.  We stayed at Camp Hope, originally a middle school in St. Bernard Parish, just outside of the city.  The school had been mostly submerged when the hurricane went through and had been reclaimed to house relief volunteers, with classrooms converted to bunk rooms, and showers added to the bathrooms.  Camp Hope's mission has switched gears several times since its inception, but since early 2007 it has been managed by the New Orleans affiliate of HFH, with the great majority of the volunteers staying there working on HFH projects.
We spent the week working in Musicians' Village in the 9th Ward.  The project was started by Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis in partnership with New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity to give homes to artists who had lost their homes and left New Orleans subsequent to Katrina.  There, we spent the week framing a house with an NCCC team.
There were two very significant things about that trip for me.  The first was an idea that was mentioned during our orientation.  The man speaking to us told the group that now that we were here, we didn't even have to raise a hammer.  The simple fact that we had volunteered to help was enough to make a difference.  I thought it was an absolutely crazy statement when I heard it, but over the course of the week I came to understand that it was true.  The people of New Orleans were so thankful for our presence.  People loved to talk to us, to give us free ice cream, to keep us out of trouble.  It was a simple picture of human compassion.  We were just a bunch of kids trying to do some good, and the people we encountered couldn't be more thankful.  We, as humankind, are dependent upon each other.  And the fact that we do indeed respond to these situations with a helping hand is pretty amazing.
The second thing was the disparity in repair.  My mental image of New Orleans isn't that of Bourbon Street or Mardi Gras.  It's of the FEMA trailers that are still there housing the displaced, sitting in between huge expansive homes.  The land there was so cheap after the hurricane.  Developers just bought it all up and put in these McMansions.  And people bought them.  And live in them.  Right next door to their neighbors in these trailers without proper plumbing.

My second trip to the Gulf was in December of 2008.  This time we went to St. Tammany Parish, just outside of New Orleans, an area so in need of relief after the hurricane that the one parish had two HFH affiliates, St Tammany East, and St Tammany West.  We worked at the later, where we helped out with an unfinished Carter Build project.  St Tammany was in need of assistance not really because of destruction cause by the hurricane, but rather because so many people moved there afterwards.  The area simply didn't have enough homes and the infrastructure was buckling under the sudden inundation.  It was interesting to get that view on a different kind of destruction created by Hurricane Katrina.
My time in St Tammany West was also when I decided that I wanted to be an AmeriCorps volunteer.  I spent the week talking to AmeriCorps about their experiences with NCCC and National Direct, and their stories really influenced me.  I was suddenly filled with a drive to serve my country, and I'm so glad that I am.

March of 2009 was my last time down to the Gulf, this time in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.  The work experience at that affiliate was probably my favorite.  It was a blitz build, and we were able to go from a concrete slab on the morning of day one to a practically finished house by the time we left.
It was also a great experience because it really made me think about a bigger picture.  When most people think about Hurricane Katrina, they think only of New Orleans.  And it's true that NOLA was and is very much in need of post-hurricane assistance.  But we forget that the entire Gulf Coast was ravaged by Katrina, and then again by Rita.  Although I wasn't at first, by the time my trip was over, I was really thankful to have gotten the opportunity to work in Mississippi.  Those families needed and deserved our help just as much, and there is no reason that they should be left by the wayside simply because they aren't in the city that received the iconic media coverage.

During my two subsequent trips, it was really interesting to see how so much had changed.  And yet, so little at the same time.  People are still living in those FEMA trailers.  Cans of water are still lying around.  People are still displaced.  And we forget about it, because it isn't in the news every day.  But we shouldn't, and we can't.  I will never forget the connection I felt to humanity during my first trip, and my sincere wish is for everyone to feel that at some point in their lives.

What is this "Habitat" that you speak of?

Habitat for Humanity (also known as Habitat, HFH, and H4H), like many great things in life, seems to be very misunderstood.

So what is it, actually?  Well, let me tell you!

Habitat for Humanity International is a 501c3 nonprofit ecumenical Christian housing ministry.  The basic concept is to provide affordable housing for low income families.  It was started in 1976 by Millard Fuller and his wife Linda.

Three statements.  Probably three misconceptions.  So, rewind.

Habitat for Humanity is a 501c3 nonprofit ecumenical Christian housing ministry.
Habitat is indeed a Christian organization, because it was born out of the Christian learnings ("the idea of following Jesus' example of caring and compassion for all people") of a Christian man.  Therefore, Habitat for Humanity expresses love for all humankind not just in thought, but through action, and without seeking profit.
So yes, it is a Christian organization, but in no way does Habitat discriminate against people of other faith traditions.  Staff, volunteers, and Habitat families come from every walk of life, and that's the way they like it.  Habitat founder, Millard Fuller, wrote a book called The Theology of the Hammer, which boils down to the fact that "Habitat is a partnership founded on common ground -- bridging theological differences by putting love into action. Everyone can use the hammer as an instrument to manifest God's love."  As Fuller puts it, "we can agree on the idea of building homes with God's people in need, and in doing so using biblical economics: no profit and no interest...The Bible teaches that God is the God of the whole crowd. God's love leaves nobody out, and my love should not either. This understanding drives 'the theology of the hammer' around the world, steadily building more and more houses in more and more countries."  So, many religious paths lead to the concepts that are the foundation for Habitat.  It just so happens that Fuller's path was a Christian one.

The basic concept is to provide affordable housing for low income families.
 My all-time absolute favorite Habitat phrase is "a hand up, not a hand out."  I would say that the biggest misconception is that Habitat for Humanity is a charity that doles out houses to people who can't afford them.  While it is true that Habitat provides low-income families with homes, they are by no means free.  Habitat families work very hard before, during, and after the building of their home.  Every affiliate does things a little differently, but no matter where you are, these "homesteaders" are required to put in "sweat equity" hours.  At HFH Suffolk this is a three-fold process.  Each soon-to-be homeowner puts in 35 days on the worksite, totaling 280 hours, working sometimes on their own home and often times on others.  They also spend 6 days doing another form of service within the community they are moving into.  Lastly, they must all take three classes at the Community Development Corporation, learning about home ownership, home maintenance, and financial fitness.  Once they finally move into their home, the homeowners begin to pay back a 20 year interest free mortgage equivalent to the cost of building. 

It was started in 1976 Millard Fuller and his wife Linda.
Yes, that's right.  Jimmy Carter did not start Habitat.  J.Cart, as I affectionately call him in my head, and his lovely wife Rosalynn, totally heart Habitat, and "have been longtime Habitat supporters and volunteers who help bring national attention to the organization's house-building work. Each year, (since 1984) they lead the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project (a week long large-scale building blitz) to help build houses and raise awareness of the need for affordable housing."  Carter Builds have led to thousands of homes all over the globe.  I even worked on a Carter house in St Tammany, Louisiana, although, sadly, my beloved J.Cart was not there at the time.
 As for the actual start of the HFH International organization, the idea was born when, in 1965, the Fullers left their affluence in Alabama in favor of living a life of Christian service at Koinonia Farm, a small, interracial Christian community in Georgia.  There, Fuller developed the idea of partnership housing and the Fund for Humanity, the mission statement of which says "what the poor need is not charity but capital...And what the rich need is a wise, honorable and just way of divesting themselves of their overabundance. The Fund for Humanity will meet both of these needs. Money for the fund will come from shared gifts by those who feel they have more than they need and from non-interest bearing loans from those who cannot afford to make a gift but who do want to provide working capital for the disinherited . . . The fund will give away no money. It is not a handout."
Then, with a donation of land from Koinonia and donation of capital from around the country, Fuller was able to build a 42 home community in 1968.  In 1973, the Fullers moved to Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) to put the Fund for Humanity to work there.  After three years, they moved back to the US, where, over the course of the next eight years, they established what is now the highly successful Habitat for Humanity International.

Wow!  Still with me?
Just a few more fun facts...

Today, Habitat for Humanity has built more than 300,000 houses, sheltering more than 1.5 million people in more than 3,000 communities worldwide.

Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk recently celebrated their 20th Anniversary, and dedicated their 133rd home just a couple of weeks ago. They are consistently ranked as one of the most prolific affiliates in both the state and the region because Suffolk County and its towns donate the land on which Habitat Homes are built, saving the affiliate time and money which they can put towards more homes.

"All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning." - Albert Camus

Well...it finally seems to be real!  In less than a week I will officially be filling out my final paperwork and I will be an AmeriCorps National Direct Volunteer.

It's been an interesting journey getting here, and I'm sure it'll be an even better one in the coming year.

I feel as though the AmeriCorps programs are tragically unknown by the American public, which is sad.  It's most easily described as a kind of domestic PeaceCorps.  I hadn't even heard of AmeriCorps until I went on my first Habitat for Humanity trip in 2007 and met a few AmeriCorps volunteers during my short stay at Camp Hope just outside of New Orleans.  Through my various experiences with Habitat for Humanity in college, I met many different kinds of AmeriCorps volunteers: Volunteers in Service to America (VISTAs- volunteers working with rising nonprofits and local government agencies to help fight poverty), National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC- volunteers working on a team on several short-term projects),  and AmeriCorps National Direct (which, according to the AmeriCorps website, engages its members "in direct service and capacity-building to address unmet community needs,").  It was my conversations with them that solidified my decision to serve as an AmeriCorps volunteer.

During my Senior year of college, I felt surrounded by curious adults asking me what my plans for the future were and telling me that they weren't envious of the fact that I was about to graduate into a terrible job market.  I had thought about grad school, but didn't really know what I wanted to study.  I had applied for a few jobs, and even found a company that I loved that loved me back, but they couldn't hire me due to the economic downturn.  I began to think more and more about AmeriCorps, and by the time my semester break rolled around, I was sure that it was the option for me.  I applied for NCCC and for several National Direct and VISTA positions.  In the end, I found myself with three choices: a VISTA position with Habitat of Syracuse, a spot on an NCCC team based in Mississippi, and the position I ultimately chose: a National Direct job with Volunteer Services, Community Relations, and Faith Outreach at Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk.

I applied for the position because, on paper, it seemed perfect for me.  It was based on Long Island, where my family lives, giving me the opportunity not just a community, but actually my own.  It featured the ability to work with people face to face.  And one of the features was working with faith communities.  With interfaith plurality being an issue very close to my heart, I knew that this was the one for me. 

Living not too far from the office, I've had the opportunity to observe the affiliate before my term.  After just a couple of months, I know that this position and this affiliate are exactly where I want to be.  This office is exemplary of the true compassion that Habitat for Humanity was built on.  The love shared between the staff, volunteers, homesteaders, and homeowners is absolutely incredible, and I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of it.  I get to spend the next year helping people to help people, building my community, giving deserving families a hand up.  And I couldn't be more excited!