Patrick Fergus
@Fergus5Fergus
Supporting local small businesses, donating to a food pantry or cleaning up parks are common ways to give back to a community. Luckily, for Springfield College students, a partnership with Habitat for Humanity allows a convenient opportunity to volunteer.
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that offers homeownership opportunities to families who cannot obtain conventional financing for a house of their own. Springfield’s chapter, located in West Springfield, is directly affiliated with the College and offers participation through a club on campus.
Kaylie Langer, a senior Athletic Training major, has been involved with the group since her first year and strongly advocates for its purpose.
“With this project, you’re building a house, but you’re also building the foundation of where a family will grow and make memories together,” Langer said.
The club typically holds a monthly day-build, visiting local Massachusetts towns and cities like Holyoke, Chicopee and Agawam. As they often arrive at different stages of the building process, the responsibilities of the volunteering students usually vary. They help with putting together the siding, drilling nails into other areas and setting up the outline that will be filled with concrete later.
A unique aspect that many students enjoy is that the family the house is being built for is at the building site. Students also get to know the families while working with them side by side.
“I love working with the families and getting to know them because you get the satisfaction of knowing that you’re making a difference in their lives,” Langer said. “The fact that they also work with us is interesting because it allows us as volunteers to be a part of the building process with them.”
Another member, junior Nadia Ghareeb, got involved with the organization through a club fair during her sophomore year – but had long known about Habitat’s long-reaching impact.
“I’ve always been interested in the organization, and thankfully the school made it really easy to get involved,” Ghareeb said. “It’s always nice to feel proud of something you’ve done, and that’s always how I feel at the end of a build.”
Outside of the rewarding feeling of helping people in need, Ghareeb also thoroughly enjoys the rush of completing a successful building project.
“The actual building part is one of my favorite aspects, because we never really question what goes into building a house, and each small step is so important to the final home,” Ghareeb said.
While the day-builds are the most available opportunities, the club also offers a Spring Break trip. The trip consists of a longer-term building process in farther locations, as past trips have gone to places like North Carolina and Colorado.
Overall, both Ghareeb and Langer strongly advocate for people to get involved with Habitat for Humanity and the many enriching experiences that it offers.
“Recognizing your privilege and being able to use that privilege to help someone in need is very fulfilling,” Langer said.
To get involved, contact springfieldcollegehabi@gmail.com for more information, or visit the Habitat for Humanity page on the college website.
Photo Courtesy of Kaylie Langer