April 14, 2011 | Sheila Foran - UConn Communications
Avery Point, Storrs Students Help Build Dreams
Students from two campuses worked to provide affordable housing through Habitat for Humanity.
If you were a single mother with five children, and the house you rented was so rodent-infested that you could only keep canned food in the kitchen because perishable items immediately attract rats, would you complain to your landlord or to local housing authorities? Probably not. Because if you did, and the house was condemned as unfit for human habitation, you might find yourself and your children homeless.
This was one of the lessons learned by a group of students from the Avery Point and Storrs campuses this spring. They also learned that Habitat for Humanity can make a huge difference in the lives of the working poor. The organization builds decent and affordable housing – either new construction or complete renovations of existing structures – in partnership with families in need.
For the first time, the Office of Community Outreach in the Division of Student Affairs brought volunteers from Avery Point and Storrs together this spring for an Alternative Breaks/Immersion Weekend. Under the guidance of Habitat for Humanity of Southeastern Connecticut, the students spent time helping prepare two houses in New London for new owners.
Brien Buckman, from the Storrs campus, worked on a house that is slated to welcome a new owner later this summer. The future homeowner is a single mother who is responsible for putting in 400 hours of ‘sweat equity’ into the project. She must devote at least 200 hours of labor herself, and she can use 200 hours in ‘donations’ from family and friends. Photos by Sheila ForanOlivia Denegre from the Avery Point campus was one of the two student leaders on the project. A sophomore English major, Denegre had no previous experience with the organization. She learned that in order to have a housing application accepted by Habit for Humanity, potential homeowners have to be employed but making less than 50 percent of an area’s median income. They take on 30 year mortgages, but are not required to pay interest on the loan.The second house under renovation is in the demolition stage and has not yet been promised to a homeowner. The mission of Habitat for Humanity is to build decent and affordable homes in partnership with families in need. This is done through the dedicated efforts of community volunteers, financial sponsors, and partner families. The Southeastern Connecticut chapter has provided approximately 45 families with homes.Brian Quagan, a senior from the Storrs campus who served as one of two student leaders, is a Habitat ‘veteran’ having taken part in a week-long Alternative Break last year working on a Habitat for Humanity project in New Orleans. Quagan and Olivia Denegre, as co-leaders, were responsible for volunteer recruitment, program planning, coordinating with Habitat for Humanity, and helping their fellow students reflect on the problems of homelessness.Under the watchful eye of Andy Derr, Habitat for Humanity construction manager, Lauren Young, from Storrs, wields a sledgehammer.Adam Pierce, foreground, from Avery Point, does some heavy lifting while Kaitlin Lastrina from the Storrs campus helps with the ‘bucket brigade’ of bricks being removed from the cellar of the house.From left, Jennifer Carpenter from Storrs worked with Adam Pierce and Noah Griffin, both from Avery Point, in a first floor demolition at one of the ‘remodel’ sites. Education is one of the critical components of an Alternative Spring Break, and student volunteers were required to attend four pre-trip meetings to help them understand their service-learning experience.
