Every Thursday Syracuse Habitat for Humanity will look through our photo collection and post a Photo of the Week. You can participate too! If you have a photo or story that you would like to share, please send an email to restoresyr@syracusehabitat.org
Thank you and enjoy the pictures!
Numerous ways to volunteer at Syracuse Habitat!
To all of those who came out to the Reese family home dedication: thank you.
The dedication was held last Sunday at 2pm at 227 Elliot Street. It was a small gathering of Syracuse Habitat donors, volunteers, and employees. Personally, I had never been to a dedication, so I had no idea what to expect.
It was a short religious service with our Executive Director leading the opening prayer and the benediction. Another of our longtime volunteers read a few passages from the Bible and presented Celesse Reese with a new family bible for her and her children. Interestingly, Ms. Reese requested that a blessing be said for each room in her new home from her doorway, to her living room, to each of her two children’s bedrooms.
Syracuse Habitat for Humanity put Ms. Reese in charge of the whole homebuilding process. She got to pick her light fixtures, the color of her carpeting, her appliances, and even the format of her dedication. All of these choices made the process smoother and more enjoyable for our newest homeowner.At the end of the dedication she thanked all of Syracuse Habitat’s support. She is now busy moving into her new house and finishing up her sweat-hours.
Be sure to come to our annual Picnic on July 16th to talk to her and other homeowners about their Habitat experience.
Last week was very stressful for the Syracuse Habitat Summer VISTA. That explains why my last post was not available until Saturday. Fortunately, all of my car problems have been figured out and I am now back at work.
Being stranded on the interstate did get me to start thinking about poverty in Syracuse. One day without a car seemed daunting at first until I thought about the thousands of Syracuse residents that ride the bus to work everyday. Half of Syracuse residents are low-income and can afford very few luxuries. Instead they spend most of their income budgeting between housing, healthcare, and food. This is why Habitat for Humanity builds houses.
The lives of Syracuse Habitat homeowners improve dramatically as soon as they finish their sweat-hours and move in. Housing immediately becomes more affordable and they are able to work towards a better life. Instead of spending half of their income renting substandard housing, they spend 30% of their monthly income owning a brand-new home. This is how Syracuse Habitat helps to eradicate poverty in Syracuse.
I am so glad that I am working on this mission and am excited to continue my work as a Summer VISTA. Check back next week for my post on week six and later this week for my report on my first Habitat for Humanity home dedication.
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