– Our Home Repair Program Manager’s Journey as a Habitat Volunteer –
If you’ve ever wondered what it is like to volunteer on our construction site, this is the article for you!
Before Gracie became our Home Repair Project Manager in July of this year, we got to know her as a volunteer on our construction team. Back then, she wrote an article on her personal blog about her experience as a first-time Habitat volunteer, and we were lucky enough to get her permission to share it here. Check it out below.
– Our Home Repair Program Manager’s Journey as a Habitat Volunteer –
If you’ve ever wondered what it is like to volunteer on our construction site, this is the article for you!
Before Gracie became our Home Repair Project Manager in July of this year, we got to know her as a volunteer on our construction team. Back then, she wrote an article on her personal blog about her experience as a first-time Habitat volunteer, and we were lucky enough to get her permission to share it here. Check it out below.
Volunteering at Habitat for Humanity
By Graciela Magne Leibowitz
In front of the apartment where I live, they have been constructing new apartments. It was fascinating to see how the project was progressing little by little. Witnessing this construction sparked a particular interest in me. While I could describe the process of building a house in my country like a cake recipe, here it was a whole new process.
As curiosity drove me, I did what I like to do when I have questions in new places: ask the community!
I wrote a post on Facebook in a group of Bellingham, asking for places to volunteer and learn woodworking or construction. Here are the most common comments I received:
I Googled “Habitat for Humanity” and was really impressed with all the work they do. I also found that they operate in different countries, including mine (Bolivia). So, I signed up for the next event without knowing what wonderful experiences awaited me as a volunteer.
We were received with a warm welcome alongside hot coffee and donuts. Our group was divided into different repair and maintenance projects for the houses in an elderly community.
Allan was the first person I met and worked with. He was another volunteer who, like many others, spent his retirement days volunteering for HFH. Then Chris Junior, a worker from HFH, taught me how to use a chainsaw (it was my first time!) and explained how to use it to trim the bushes in the garden of one of the houses.
Other volunteers were working on ramps for wheelchair access to the homes, fixing some roofing, stairs, gardens maintenance…etc. Everyone had a part in improving not only the neighborhood but also the day-to-day lives of its residents. The homeowners were very grateful, and many thank-yous and hugs were shared that day, along with the feeling of “What else can we do to help?”
I was lucky because, also that day at lunch, there was a meeting with the people running for mayor. During lunch, we could listen to their opinions and proposals regarding affordable housing, zoning, and other concerns that people had about their city. As an architect and someone interested in city planning, the event was really informative, and I was grateful to learn more about solutions regarding housing in the place I started calling home.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Tralayna, the Volunteer Development Manager. We talked a bit, and I was greatly surprised about her experience in construction. It was encouraging to see another woman in construction. I asked her how she learned about construction. She looked at Allan and said, “thanks to him. He taught me a lot.” They both smiled.
After that, I went some Saturdays to volunteer, meeting more people and learning more about the construction process. Eventually, with some more time in my schedule, I began to go more periodically during the weekdays and help with the construction of four Townhomes in Bellingham. This project is amazing because they are using materials to make the units more energy efficient, as a part of making it more affordable for the future owners.
Volunteering during the weekdays was definitely another experience. I met the kindest, sassiest, funniest, and most close-knit group of friends/coworkers. They are retired men and women who volunteer from Wednesday to Saturday almost every week.
During this time, Ken and Randy were my biggest tutors. Amid jokes and having fun, I learned and learned as they taught me all about the construction process in the United States. Sometimes during lunch, I would sit in silence and just listen to them talk about their families, the new grandkids, vacation plans… the life behind the work.
Ken often told me how proud he feels of being part of a project that would help families to have affordable housing and how lucky we are to have Chris (the Construction Director) on our team. I share that feeling. I also started feeling proud of what we were doing and the team we work with.
Volunteering at Habitat is, in many ways, empowering. It gave me confidence in using tools like the nail gun (please use earplugs if you use one XD), trimming wood for the framing, learning how to use the saw table, and much more. One of my favorite moments was watching the crane lift the roof that we had been working on just a week prior! Being part of the team shaping this project has been a remarkable experience.
Simply put, I am thankful for this organization, its goals, and the people who work to make it all realized. These people make the experience what it is, like Ken (the volunteer), who I am especially grateful for giving me my first tape measure in both inches and centimeters! It has helped me in the transition between these crazy measurement systems.
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If you are interested in volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in Whatcom County, visit hfhwhatcom.org/volunteer
You can find more information about our Home Repair Program at hfhwhatcom.org/nri-applicant-eligibility-guidelines
