News & Events
World Habitat Day 2011. http://www.habitat.org/getinv/events/whd/
This past year we dontated $167 to the Paraguay Habitat organization and our board member Boni and her husband Roger travelled to participate in a build. Here is a testimonial and some pictures from one of the local families that Habitat has helped.
Christian is 30 years old and he is working as a seller for a clothing
company. Mariela is 27 years old and she is a Radiology Technician.
They have a daughter, she is Xiomara and she is 6 years old. Mariela,
Christian and Xiomara were living in Mariela's mother's house. They
were sharing the bathroom, the kitchen and the living room.
Christian
said that he realized that they need a house when Xiomara asked him
"when am I going to have my house"?. So, he tried to get a
loan from a Bank to build his house but he couldn't get it. So after
that he heard something about Habitat, he went to the office and then
he participated in the meetings and then he applied for a Habitat new
house.
Christian,
Mariela and Xiomara new house were blessed with the help of two brigades.
One brigade from the United Stated and another from Canada.
Christian said that before meet the brigades he had a wrong concept
about volunteers, he didn't believe that people can come from another
country to help others for free. He said that the volunteers changed
his point of view and now he is also helping his neighbors and relatives.
They are so happy living in their own house. Xiomara has her own room
so she can decorate as she wants.
Exciting
News : Rio Arriba YouthBuild Project
Area to be served: Rio Arriba County in Northern New Mexico
This project will assist ages18-24 olds in the Rio Arriba County area
(including tribal members from Santa Fe County). Students will be referred
to the program from a number of sources (Tewa Women United, Espanola
High School, Juvenile Justice Program, Church Groups, etc.). The students
will be tested in a Mental Toughness Orientation to ensure motivation
to stay in the program. The students will be evaluated and those who
need their GEDs will go through Northern New Mexico College's High School
Equivalence Program (NNMC HEP) which will assist them to get their GED
in 10 weeks. After this, the students will follow a rigorous course
of instruction at the NNMC and at several worksites. They will first
be trained in OSHA standards, learn to read blue prints, and learn other
things necessary prior to setting foot on the worksites. At the worksites
they will use what they learned in the class room by building a house
from the foundation to the roof. Learning the construction trade along
the way. The courses are certified by The National Center for Construction
Education and Research (NCCER). Each student will have a case manager
who will assist the student stay in the course as well as learn the
life skills they need to be successful. After graduation from the program,
the students will be assisted to either pursue further education at
the NNMC, or be assisted to enter apprenticeship programs with local
trade unions, or assisted with job placement with local contractors.
To
Date
- We have completed 8 New Habitat houses and 22 major Home repairs (Building Kindness)
- Building Kindness operates year round to provide affordable home repairs
Yvonne Maestas Rios
Director of Operations
