Our Habitat
for Humanity Chapter at UMBC
was established with the explicit goals to create community awareness and
action against homelessness and poverty housing and to foster partnerships
and cooperatives among the community, all while involving and offering a
rich educational and life experience to the students at UMBC.
We take a multifaceted approach to accomplishing these goals, utilizing the
energy and vigor of the student community to create outreach and
educational events to enrich and recruit the student population at UMBC.
Simultaneously, we work with Sandtown
Habitat, our affiliate site in West Baltimore, in order to build
affordable and decent housing for Baltimore
residents that are currently living in substandard or poverty housing.
Currently, we have completed three houses (1400 and 1432 Presstman St and 1506
Baker St) and are working on our fourth house on Gilmor St.
Our chapter also hosts events such as the annual Act, Speak, Build week
every spring, conducting a weeklong, overnight sleepout next to the student
union to raise awareness across campus about the problems of poverty
housing and homelessness in America
and abroad. We understand that building residences is only half the
struggle, and that building a community and an awareness among it is
crucial to eliminating substandard housing, and that is why we place a
large focus on educational and awareness events, as well as the houses we
build.
Simply put, our group is that of hardworking, focused students that can
identify some of the social ills surrounding ourselves and are willing to
dedicate the time and energy to make a positive change in this world. We
are not experienced carpenters, lobbyists, or seasoned activists, but we
understand the problems and a specific need for change, and so we learn,
adapt, and gain the skills necessary to bring about the change that we seek
to make.
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