On May 17th, several park employees participated in a volunteer project for Habitat for Humanity, a non-for profit organization. Employees worked on several different houses alongside AmeriCorps members and other volunteers, preparing floors for linoleum tiling. Most employees had never worked with Habitat for Humanity before, but many are already making plans to do so again in the future.
When completed, the houses go to low income families. Families are selected on a non-discriminatory basis, based on housing need, ability to repay loans, and willingness to work on the building of the house. The homes are sold on a no-profit basis and cost the homeowners about $90,000.
The location where the houses are being built is historically a high crime/low income area. The hope is that these new houses will bring a sense of community ownership to the neighborhood. In all, it was a great opportunity to merge the National Park Service with the local community in a positive manner.
