Hofstra's Hope for Humanity

After attending the Alternative Spring Break trip last spring, we were so inspired by the work we did to improve the lives of a family in El Paso, Texas that we wanted to bring it home to our Hofstra community. We founded a club, Hofstra’s Hope for Humanity, to work with Habitat for Humanity on Long Island, in raising awareness, fundraising, and the building of homes. So far this year, our members have collectively volunteered for more than 1,000 hours in the local community.

We had the opportunity to help raise the first walls of a home in Roosevelt, NY in December. A wall raise is when Habitat, along with its volunteers and the new homeowner, build the first walls of the house and ceremoniously raise them. It was a such a heart warming experience to be able to help the family raise the walls of what will become their new home to grow and bring up their children in. Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County has invited back this semester to continue working on this wonderful house.

Also this past winter, HHH enjoyed a build day with Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk County. We helped to work on a house in Bellport, NY.  Our members enjoyed spending the day on the roof, learning how to shingle. This was a great experience to work with the homeowner and learn many useful skills.

This February, HHH was invited back to work on the home in Bellport. When we arrived there was snow on the ground and we were happy to see that the roof we had helped build was still holding strong. This time, the members of the club learned how to put in insulation.  It is great to think that the family will be warm in their home for years to come because of the volunteer work that Hofstra’s Hope for Humanity did that day!

We also work with other service organizations on Long Island and have even greater things to come. We encourage any interested students to join us on Collegiate Link or e-mail us at HUHope4Humanity@gmail.com.

-Megan Kennedy, Class of '14 & George Calvo, Class of '15