Community Clean-Ups | Home Sweet Home

What is Habitat for Humanity?

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, non-government organization devoted to building decent homes for those in need. This international organization’s headquarters are located in Georgia, but they have several area offices around the world. You might have already seen their ads in direct tv and other media networks. These houses are built by volunteers and are sold at no profit.

Founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1967, they began the work to build houses for those in need. In 1976 Habitat for Humanity International was established. Since then, this organization has received several awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and they have built over 400,000 houses around the world, sheltering over 1,750,000 people.

Habitat for Humanity has many programs such as their Youth Program, where they try to find people ages 5 to 25 to become involved in the program. With their Colligiate Challenge, they attempt to get students involved during their school breaks such as spring break or summer break. During these programs, students spend a week working with the local Habitat affiliates. They are provided with housing and food for the week and are able to perform services for those in need.

Habitat for Humanity also has several annual events. Because former president, Jimmy Carter, became involved in Habitat for Humanity in 1984, the organization has named one even after him and his wife, The Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, and they still attend these events. During this annual event in 2008, volunteers were able to build 60 houses in one week and frame 48 more, and in 2009 they were able to serve 166 families through this annual event.

Filed Under: Community Clean-Ups, Natural Disasters, Volunteer Organizations Tagged With: Habitat for Humanity International, Jimmy Carter, Presidential Medal of Freedom

How to Find the Right Area for Your New Home

If you’re in the market to find a new home to live in you want to be sure to pick an area that you are going to feel comfortable in. Before you decide to move in anywhere you should write down all the pros and cons of the areas that you are thinking about. Some of the positive features of a new area that you may move into might include a close proximity to schools, your favorite places to shop, and the location of your work place.

Having a home by a school can be expensive, but the communities around them are usually a great place to raise your children. Most of the homes by you have a higher chance of having children the same age as your own. Other families have picked that place to live, because it is safer to let their children walk to school and they like the neighborhood.

Your home should be by the places that you’re going to commute to the most and that includes the places that you shop at the most. If you like to shop at privately owned stores then moving closer in town might be the best choice. If you don’t mind shopping at large grocery chain stores then your choices of where to buy a home is not limited. The most important thing to remember when buying a home is how close it is to your workplace. A long commute is a burden on most families, but if you’re willing to travel to work then you really aren’t sacrificing anything.

Filed Under: Community Clean-Ups, Contractors Tagged With: Chain store, Home, Retail Trade, Retailers, Wal-Mart

Any Donation Can Help a Charity

Charities need donations from all over the country in order to help the people that are in distress and in a state of crisis. A small community can only give so much to a charity that is operating in their town. Most charities try to branch out to the country to get more donations through the internet. You can find most charities in your area by going on the internet. If you wish to donate to one of the charities in your neighborhood the website should have instructions on where you can go to do that.

Charities are always in need of different items to give out to people that need it the most. Food and clothing are major items that are needed by everyone. Most charities try to take in non-perishable foods and canned foods more than they take in fresh foods. Food items like meats and fruits may not be accepted by any of the charities in your neighborhood. All clothing items will be taken in by any charity organization that you want to donate to. Charities try to clothe everyone that comes through their doors that don’t have anything for themselves.

A hot meal and some clothing may not sound much to you right now, but when you go without it you start to appreciate having them. Charities see a lot of people that have gone without clothing for months and are days in between meals. Everyone has a different story to tell about why they are in that position, but the fact remains hey are going hungry and they are cold. If you would like to be one of the people that care enough for their fellow man then donate anything to any charity of your choice. These are hard times for everyone and you can help someone out by providing their next meal.

Filed Under: Community Clean-Ups Tagged With: Charitable organization, Donation

You Can Help the Red Cross Too

Donating to the Red Cross helps people that are left stranded after a disaster and can inspire hope for those that have none. Millions of people have been touched by the Red Cross after their communities were destroyed by fire, flood, or storms. Many of the people who have lost everything need help to rebuild their community to start all over again. You can help by donating goods to the Red Cross, which will then hand out the donations to the people affected by a disaster. The Red Cross has thousands of locations around the nation for you to donate to.

Some of the items the Red Cross is looking for are items like blankets, food, and water. These items are to provide people with the basic necessities that they go without after a disaster. You can also make emergency kits that are handed out by the Red Cross to those in need. Some of the items in your emergency kit should include any basic items to live. Water and food kits are always appreciated and will defiantly be used for people in need of them. Make sure that your kits have foods that are ready to eat or can be easily made.

The Red Cross also accepts cash and credit donations to buy supplies that promote healthier living in third world countries. Mosquito nets are bought in the tens of thousands to give out to poor villagers and nations that do not have access to them. Cash donations will also go to Red Cross relief efforts that continually operate around the world. You can be a part of this amazing program and donate some cash to help with all these costs that are so badly needed. They also conduct blood drives to provide badly needed blood to the victims of disasters. Blood is always needed and the supply is always running low as more disasters continue around the world. Be a part of something bigger than you and give what you can, you are the only thing that stands between the total disasters of doing nothing at all.

Filed Under: Community Clean-Ups, Volunteer Organizations Tagged With: Blood donation, Donation, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Red Cross

Habitat for Humanity

Image via Wikipedia

Habitat for Humanity has built hundreds of thousands of homes for people in need of shelter. They have made homelessness their enemy and they are winning the fight. They cannot do it alone they need your help they need you to donate building materials or your time. You can also donate other things like couches, chairs, and clothing to help the people that need them the most. Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that utilizes volunteers to build affordable simple shelters. The program is christened based, but anyone from all walks of life and any race can join in the fight against homelessness.

The homes or shelters are not a hand out; they are not given out for free. The family and the charity pick a mortgage that has easy payments for the family to pay off. The family pays for the materials and not the labor, anything that is donated to a project will save a family money. If the family needs help with a mortgage then Habitat will step in and pay for that month. All cash that Habitat spends needs to come back in order to pay for more shelter for more families in need of it.

Habitat for Humanity also sells cheap furniture that was donated to pay for parts of their program. Anything from fake plants to washers and dryers can be donated to any of the retail Habitat for Humanity sites. Donate your unwanted clothing they always need clothes to help out the people that are really down and rely on clothes to keep them warm. Building supplies from trusses to 2x4s and even gardening supplies are always taken in for the cause. The one resource that Habitat for Humanity needs the most is man power. Without your volunteering efforts this program cannot function and strive to help others. You are the most important tool to make any of these projects a reality and the people that are in need will be the most grateful for you.

Filed Under: Community Clean-Ups, Natural Disasters Tagged With: Habitat for Humanity International, Non-profit organization, Old Navy, Organizations, Philanthropy

Turn A Vacant Lot Into a Community Garden

Almost every inner city neighborhood has a vacant lot that just gathers trash and serves as a location for crime, drugs, and misery. Besides being an eyesore, these lots are wasted potential for the people who live in the neighborhood. Someone owns that lot, and that someone could do some serious good by allowing community activists and neighborhood residents to turn it into a community garden.

Start with Community Activism

The community leaders in the neighborhood can organize “clean up days.” Churches, youth groups, and the unemployed should be encouraged to come out and start removing trash from the lot. Ask local businesses to donate food and drinks. A local home improvement store might donate tools, top soil and landscaping lumber. It doesn’t hurt to ask, and you might be surprised at the positive response you get. People love to help people who want to help themselves.

Elect a Master Gardener

Someone in the neighborhood probably knows a lot about gardening. Ask that individual to be the Master Gardener or garden consultant. It is important to get good advice on how to start a garden. If there is no one available, ask a gardening store if they would donate the time and advice. Once you’ve started creating that garden, you’ll probably start to draw plenty of positive attention. Now’s the time to hit up the newspaper for a feature. Start hanging fliers and get everyone involved!

Set Up a Work Schedule

To reap the benefits of the garden, folks need to do their work shift! Again, it could be youth groups or churches. If you have kids who got themselves in trouble with the law. They may need community service hours. That’s a great way to maintain the garden and teach them the positive value of honest work.

Once your garden takes off, so wil the community spirit in the neighborhood. Hunger seems less daunting, and pride will start to overcome despair.

Filed Under: Community Clean-Ups Tagged With: community garden, Garden, Master gardener program