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Looking to add another attractive reference to your resume, learn a new trade for a day or do some type of community service? UM-St. Louis' Catholic Newman Center provides this opportunity for students through a monthly trip to Habitat for Humanity. The last service opportunity of the 2003-2004 school year will take place on Friday, May 7, as participants will travel to sites and help build affordable houses for those in need of a habitable home. The Catholic Newman Center sponsors this monthly event. Volunteers carpool to a work site and help build houses. Previously, this event only occurred a few times a year, but at the participation of service-conscious students, it has grown into a monthly event. "Based on the interest by students last year, we decided to do it the first Friday of every month of 2003-2004 academic year," said Kevin Born, campus minister. "We started doing this with the month of September, and have done so ever since then, except for the month of January." Born said that the first Friday of every month is the most convenient day to work because the weekends are not as easy to book with the Habitat organization. "The nice thing about volunteering for a Friday is that we only have to put a couple of weeks in advance with Habitat for Humanity. We have to put three months in advance in order to work on a Saturday, and usually there are quite a few people...about 60... who are on site," Born said. The Catholic Newman Center advertises throughout the MSC building, especially in the bridge, where they ask for volunteers to sign up. Even though the Catholic Newman Center is a Christian-based organization, it welcomes all who are interested in participating. Mike Rogan, service officer for the Catholic Newman Center, said, "We are always happy to have others participate." Volunteering is not limited to individuals. Around 100 organizations are registered on campus, and all 100 or so organizations are welcome to join the Newman Center by helping out or co-sponsoring a Habitat for Humanity event. "We've co-sponsored with several different organizations on campus." Rogan said. "Alpha Phi Omega, Pikes, Zeta Tau Alpha, UMSL Pre-Med. Society, Student Social Work Associations. We also have regular members of student body who help out." The cost of putting on this event is $200, which pays for the breakfast, lunch, and water provided to the volunteers. "We feed the volunteers muffins, donuts, bagels, lunch meat, peanut butter and jelly...basically whatever we pick up at Sams," Born said. Everyone carpools to the worksite, so volunteers meet at the Catholic Newman Center house by 8 a.m. where they have breakfast, fill out work release forms, and then head out to the work site. Volunteers are suggested to wear at least some thick boots when working with Habitat for Humanity. "The reason why Habitat suggests you wear boots," Born explained, "is because if you drop a saw or something on your foot, your boots can protect you. And plus if it's a rainy day, the ground will be muddy and you don't want to get that all over your shoes."
Some may wonder what they can contribute at a construction site, especially if they have no experience with house construction. Born said inexperienced volunteers should not worry because learning is part of the Habitat for Humanity experience. Born assured, "One great thing about Habitat is that you don't have to have any knowledge about carpentry to go help out. Habitat has a talented crew who can do construction work while also directing a group of volunteers to help with that work." The workload depends on the house's stage of construction. "There was this one where the foundation was already laid, with braces supporting foundation," Born recalled. "It had rained the day before so our job was to get into the pit and take down the braces, walking though six inches of mud and water in foundation and pull braces and get them out. This was the earliest stage of working at a site." Not all work sites are quite as muddy. "An upper part of a house was built in the St. Louis Mills Mall. They built the first story on the lot, and the second story in Mill Malls. After they finished building the second story, they hauled to the site and added it on," Born said. Other services require volunteers beside constructions. Habitat for Humanity needs site greeters or administrators, site trailer people, site runners and assistants to construction staff, on-site merchandisers and visual aid creators. Habitat for Humanity also needs help in the public relations department where they are looking for people who have advertising or media connections. These jobs are done in a similar manner as the construction area, as all volunteer positions. Millard Fuller and his wife Linda started habitat for Humanity International in Americus, Georgia. The organization annually helps lead the Jimmy Cater Work Project to help raise houses and awareness of the need for affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity International works through locally run affiliates, like Habitat for Humanity St. Louis. According to its official website, Habitat for Humanity St. Louis has constructed 20 homes, more than half of which were built in the last three years. Habitat for Humanity St. Louis also estimates that in the next 10 years they will have "touched" and additional 434 families, an estimated 1,736 people. Those estimated 1,736 people who will have to gone through a lengthy application process to be qualified as homeowners through this program. Applicants must meet the following qualifications set out by Habitat for Humanity St. Louis: "Must be a resident of St. Louis City or St. Louis County for at least one year prior to their application. Must have at least one child under the age of 18, where you are the legal guardian or parent. Must currently live in substandard housing (leaky roof, bad plumbing, overcrowding). Must have a form of steady income. Must have an income that is equivalent to 25-50% of the median income of St. Louis. The applicant must be willing and able to partner with Habitat for humanity St. Louis and perform 450 hours of 'sweaty equity.' Must not have declared bankruptcy in the last three years." After an applicant meets all qualifications, he or she is put on a notification list and fill out a reservation form to attend a workshop. A $10 application-processing fee is also required at the workshop. After attending a workshop, the applicant goes through a more focused process, including a credit history check, employment verification, landlord references and utility account history, proof of separation from spouse (if applicable), income guideline check, other sources of income, and then a home visit. Moving on from the notification list, the applicant must go through one more phase in order to move from the notification list to a preliminary list. The applicant must first sign a letter of acceptance with Habitat for Humanity St. Louis, complete 25 hours of "sweat equity." After completing all requirements, the applicant is placed on a homeowner waiting list and waits until he or she is notified of a new housing opportunity. Once a family qualifies for a home then they can expect to pay a no-interest mortgage over a period of 20 to 30 years. Currently, Habitat houses are sold for around $77,000, which reflects a repayable first note of $62,000, and a second forgivable note of $15,000. The initial monthly loan payment is about $325. This amount includes principal, taxes and insurance, and $15 for major repair reserve in escrow in the family's name. These affordable and adequate homes are mostly made possible through volunteer work. The Catholic Newman Center is asking volunteers to meet at their house Friday, May 7, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00p.m. Volunteers are strongly advised to wear boots for their own safety. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Born said that he is looking forward to this next Habitat for Humanity event. "I didn't start doing habitat until it was required by my job. But now I look forward to it. I enjoy learning construction work and doing construction work outside. It always ends up being a good time," he said. Born said that the Catholic Newman Center will working for Habitat for Humanity each month, and throughout the year, because more funding was allocated by the SABC for this purpose. For more information about Catholic Newman Center at UM-St. Louis and about their work with Habitat for Humanity, email cncumsl@aol.com or call (314) 385-3455. The organization's information is also accessible through their website at www.umsl.edu/~newman/. Information about Habitat for Humanity St. Louis can be found at www.habitatstl.org/aboutus/.
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