In increasingly divided times, it’s extremely impressive to see local organizations, like our very own chapter of Habitat for Humanity, actually bring people together instead of driving them apart. This Spring, Habitat of Champaign County will be completing their interfaith house build for two different homes in town, including interior finishing work completed via participation from various mosques, temples and churches.
For more info on the completion of this interfaith build, and to get to know the owners, check out Habitat’s info below:
Last summer, Habitat reached out to over 150 local faith groups from all denominations to participate in building and funding two homes with Habitat homeowners in Urbana. On September 11th, the ceremonial kickoff of these builds was held, and 23 faith groups stepped forward to pledge both volunteers and funds for these homes. In mid-October over 100 volunteers worked on these two homes, installing the flooring, walls, roof, windows and doors for each home alongside Habitat homeowners Nicole Blackwell-Parker and LaKendra Obannon. Over the winter months, the homes were worked on by professional contractors; installing the plumbing, heating, electrical and drywall in preparation for the Interfaith volunteers to return in the spring.
After a winter of fundraising activities each of the faith groups will return in late March, with their volunteers and work alongside one another to complete the homes with LaKendra and Nicole. By late April, much or the interior finishing work will be completed and the children from the mosque, temple, and churches will be invited to participate in the project. Youth will be helping with the landscaping; planting bushes and shrubs, painting flower pots for distribution in the neighborhood, and putting together pre-cut picnic tables for each of the families with simple hand tools.
Sheila Dodd, Executive Director for Habitat notes, “It’s been amazing to have our faith community participate in such an enthusiastic way with our Habitat homeowners. The volunteers are meeting our families, and sharing their stories in powerful ways. People are often changed when they commit to action– and we have seen that transformative community work is truly happening in these builds. People of different faiths are coming together to support neighbors– and new friendships are being formed.”
Habitat plans to have the homes completed in late spring, and dedicated with the families and volunteers in early June. To read more about these two Habitat homeowners and their families, please see:
http://cuhabitat.org/profile/nicole-blackwell-parker/ and http://cuhabitat.org/profile/lakendra-obannon/