UMassGives 2021

Habitat for Humanity strives to provide everyone a decent place to live. UMass Amherst Habitat is a campus chapter that works closely with Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity to build homes locally. Each year during Spring Break, we broaden our horizons and aspire to help a community in need around the US by participating in the Collegiate Challenge. We drive in two 12-passenger vans and sleep on the floors of various churches and schools during the week. It is an empowering and humbling trip, but most of all a learning experience. As a group of students that have never met before comes together to build in a community, we learn together about ourselves and about the communities we are so generously accepted into. It is a wonderful opportunity to completely immerse ourselves in the mission of Habitat: fighting substandard housing. We have been able to work alongside future homeowners, oftentimes meeting their children and getting the privilege to hear their stories. Many of the communities we work with have been hit hard by natural disasters: flooding in Georgia and tornadoes in Oklahoma. The opportunity to help rebuild a community, both physically and socially, is life changing.

Not only do the communities we work with benefit from the labor we provide during the week, but we also gain confidence and skills as students. We have learned everything from how to effectively work as a team to put a roof on (harder than it sounds) to how to cook and feed 22 people at once. We learn from Habitat supervisors and other student’s construction skills that range from using a hammer properly, to putting up siding in a straight line (MUCH harder than it sounds).

This year during the global pandemic of COVID-19, we have met weekly with general body members and have continued to fundraise for our local affiliate Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity. Though as a club we have not been able to volunteer due to COVID restrictions, we are so incredibly grateful for the efforts of our general body members to stay involved and to individually volunteer. We are so excited to continue our past efforts of Spring Break and local volunteering in the future.

 During these troubling times, we still have the spirit of community and are still giving back to UMass and the local community. In order to continue to do this work, UMass Habitat for Humanity is asking for your help. Our club runs entirely on fundraising and the future of our club will rely on fundraising for the Spring Break trip, our largest expense each year. Along with the Spring Break trip, we are so excited to volunteer even more at Build Sites through Pioneer Valley HFH and will use fundraising efforts towards that as well. We are asking for any support you can give to us. The money will go towards paying for our rental vans, gas, Collegiate Challenge fees, and building opportunities. As we have worked tirelessly all year to adapt to the changes of COVID, we are so excited for the future potential of this chapter and the difference still to be made. Thank you so much for your support! All the best, UMass Habitat for Humanity.