It is probably safe to say that most of us have heard of Habitat for Humanity; the organization is often tied to former President Jimmy Carter’s volunteer work with them.  Here locally, we have Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna.  They build affordable homes for low income families in Harford and Cecil Counties with the help of volunteers. Volunteers help build or rehab homes from the ground up.  A few years ago, the MOAA Susquehanna Chapter volunteered at one of their build sites.

 No experience or tools are required, just a helping hand. Anyone interested should contact the Volunteer Coordinator, John Lanigan, by email at jlanigan@habitatsusq.org or by phone at 410-638-4434, extension 3. We hope to see you soon swinging a hammer or painting a wall.

Are you wondering just what you might be doing if you volunteer?  If so, perhaps the comments of a Chapter member who volunteered on the last build would be useful.  “Most volunteers are asked to take a short and simple safety lesson before reporting to a site.  My experience was there were about 10 other individuals from other groups at each site, including a few high schoolers earning volunteer credits. The Habitat folks assign one or two of their own project leads who distribute the work assignments, teach how to perform some tasks if needed, and explain the funding as well as the home recipient's qualification process and responsibilities. The Susquehanna Habitat for Humanity group uses skilled labor and certified craftsmen for the heavy work like electrical, plumbing, and appliance installations. Also, volunteers can join their website to learn about timing for other opportunities and activities, like donating unwanted items to the ReStore in Aberdeen.”

Larry Archer and Ted Newing hard at work at the last Habitat for Humanity project.