By Lincoln V. (2015-2016 AmeriCorps Member)
We finally finished one of the duplex units in March 2016. Finishing that unit and watching the families move in is probably my favorite part of being with Habitat Vail Valley.
I grew up in a military family, so I was constantly moving around every 2-3 years. Growing up like that was hard. Every couple years I had to make new friends in a new place, start fresh in a new school, that can be a hard lifestyle for a kid growing up.
Finally finishing a family’s house and watching them move in is the best thing in the world. Having a stable household in one location is critical to a safe, healthy and happy lifestyle. For the parents it provides them with a safe, and happy environment in which they can raise their kids. I think the kids benefit the most from the houses. They get to come “home” everyday day after school to their own house in a safe neighborhood. This type of environment is vital to them growing up.
I am overwhelmed with excitement and joy when it comes time for our families to move in. Cause I know that family will finally be in a situation where they can all thrive in every aspect of life, and not have to worry about if they can pay the bills the next month or afford the rent next month, and having that peace of mind really helps create a world of opportunities that these families might have never gotten in the living situation they got out of.
For me building these families houses isn’t just building their house. I am building their future and once all is said and done, and the families have moved in and I have moved on and working somewhere else, I will not forget about the families. I have played a critical role in their lives and want to stay in their lives. It is my hope that I can call a family up 5 years down the road and see how they are doing and how their lives have changed. I want them to live in their house for the rest of time, and I want their kids to grow up healthy and happy, and go to college and have a successful career and be able to provide their kids with the same opportunities that their parents were able to provide them after being a habitat homeowner. Because that’s what it is really about “a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”
That starts with us and our families. Their kids have a safe, decent place to live, and in turn those kids will be able to provide their kids with the same thing. Take the Chinese proverb “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” For our families their thousand-mile journey is raising their kids to be successful, and that single step to begin their journey is with habitat and their new home.
Learn more about AmeriCorps & Intern opportunities at Habitat for Humanity Vail Valley