Rebuilding a Place to Call Home
A comeback takes a hero. In this case, it took an army of them.
There’s a bite in the morning air at the latest Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro build site. The shell of a single story home is just barely catching the first rays of sun through a dense greenbelt of mature trees. If not for the greenery capturing the noise, the percussive slap of the nail gun in the background would be uncomfortably loud. Despite the chill, there are about a dozen workers here who’ve decided to bundle up and listen to the morning briefing from the site director. In most cases, Habitat mobilizes groups of trained young people from AmeriCorps to support the volunteers, many of whom have no construction experience at all. This happens to be a group of build veterans from Greensboro’s First Presbyterian Church. “First Prez” has been a regular source of volunteers. Their loyalty is seen as instrumental in bringing the group back from the precipice of disaster.
Touched by Scandal
Two years ago, the chapter was shocked to learn a member of the front office staff had been embezzling money from homeowners. Cash payments that were meant for mortgage accounts were skimmed into the employee’s pocket. For a group that depends heavily on the community for money and supplies, the scandal could have been catastrophic; and for a time, it was close. With a tarnished reputation and a soft local economy, the Greensboro chapter lost ground in confidence and donations. The chapter’s board of directors launched an internal evaluation of its policies and procedures aimed at filling the gaps that allowed the scandal to happen. Changes were made, and Habitat leaders tried to make the reforms as transparent as possible to encourage a renewal of public trust. The person ultimately responsible was fired, tried and incarcerated, and financial audits became carefully and publically scrutinized. “We have such a strong board,” said Habitat spokesperson Michelle Schneider. “We have grown far beyond all that.”
But a level of damage to the Habitat persona had been done, and the remedy could have become a self-fulfilling prophecy. By highlighting the changes made, the chapter had to again retell the story of internal betrayal. It was on the verge of becoming a vicious circle. The chapter needed something to tip the scale. As it was, the one element that made the difference, is a basic element it had all along. Distrust was outweighed by community.
Loyal Supporters
The First Presbyterian Church volunteers are working on siding today. One team measures and cuts long sheets of vinyl to be hoisted up in bundles to another team on the scaffolding. Most of these 11 people say they’ve been on similar projects, and say they wouldn’t think of abandoning the chapter. “I’m a retired teacher,” said one. “I can’t just sit there and not help someone.”
That confidence has become infectious. Church groups like First Presbyterian and others have influenced corporate help as well. A local high tech firm has taken a leading role in providing volunteers. Earlier this year, the chip maker was a driving force that helped build a small neighborhood for five families. As volunteers step in and meet the future homeowners and neighbors, they see the face of the need they’re addressing. It grows from there. Personal contact and “sweat equity” make the Habitat mission less that of a faceless non-profit. It becomes more of a family with a common purpose.
Today, AmeriCorps and the other volunteers are able to build 25 to 30 homes per year for the Greensboro chapter. For many, the rebound was never in question. One of the new homeowners said the need was simply too great to allow Habitat to wither away. “To see what we’ve accomplished,” she said, “it’s just miraculous.”
Labels: COML 517 Jay Rickerts Habitat for Humanity
posted by Jay Rickerts @ 8:56 AM
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