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Habitat for Humanity, an international humanitarian aid group, has found a niche at the University of Maine. The organization, which has benefited the lives of millions, relies on volunteers and their contributions of time and labor.
The club was brought to UMaine by Timothy Brauer, Ryan Cope and Tiffany Hyacinthe, who hoped to emulate the goals of the international group by volunteering in the community. According to their Web site, the aim of the organization is to “eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.”
There are several events in the works for the next few weeks. The first is a weekend trip over fall break, Oct. 10 through Oct. 13. Members will be traveling to the Machias area to help winterize homes in the community in conjunction with Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a volunteer-based community organization. This event is open to anyone, and students interested in the trip should contact Brauer on FirstClass.
UMaine student Jennifer Zabko has worked with Habitat for Humanity before, traveling to New Orleans to offer her services. “It was such an amazing and heartwarming experience. Every person we talked to down there was so happy to see us and thanked us for being there to help rebuild their community.”
She joined the club because “by volunteering with this organization we are not only helping out people who need a home, but the community and the world.”
Future events include volunteering at the Harvest Supper on Oct. 18 and helping to renovate the Holden Christmas Tree Shop into a resale store – an ongoing project that will be completed in January.
Alternative Spring Break also does trips with Habitat for Humanity, and will be having a day trip to the Portland area over fall break.
According to David Grainger, acting pastoral director at the Wilson Center, they will be supporting the club, although religion will not play an active role in the club and its events.
“When you do something like this, you learn as much about yourself as you do the community you’re working with,” Grainger said. “[Habitat for Humanity] is such a big thing around the world, and we felt that this is the one thing UM was missing.”
The next meeting will be Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. in the Skulls Room on the third floor of Memorial Union. To learn more about Habitat for Humanity International, visit Habitat.org.
