HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Habitat for Humanity helps construct homes for qualifying low-income families at little to no cost. Families themselves put in 300 hours of work (or “sweat equity”) on the building themselves and pay for any materials not donated, but they are not responsible for any labor (that’s YOU!). Each family is given a low fixed mortgage with no timetable in which to pay it off. The families Habitat selects for each home range from single parent families to senior citizens and everything in between.

Habitat projects can be found in all kinds of communities, nation-wide. The main sites the Mount Holyoke community is involved with are in Turners Falls and Amherst, Ma. Builds are only on selected Saturdays and students may sign up for whichever Saturdays fit in their schedule.

The day of their build, students meet at the Blanchard bus stop at 8 a.m. and are transported by the project coordinator to the site for the day. The work done each day varies – we might hang dry wall, paint, lay flooring or siding, or put together porches – but you will never be required to do something that makes you uncomfortable. No experience in construction is necessary, you learn as you go from the crew leader on site.

Contact: : Samantha Brot,’12, brot20s Johannah Huynh,’13, huynh22j, and Jenna Hoopingarner, hoopi22j.
Website: Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity