Step Forward Day

In memoriam for the victims of September 11th that day is a nationally recognized day of service. The alumni association at Pepperdine University is actively involved in community improvement efforts and encourages all alum to participate. When I heard that my local chapter had partnered with Habitat for Humanity I was eager to sign up and see what the organization is all about. I confess, my volunteerism is auxiliary to my charitable giving and as a consequence I am not very well versed on the inner workings of many do-good-er operations. My favorite and most trusted organization, IMC, reduces me to a fund raiser and donor, since my skill set does not include that of a trained medical professional so I have to seek out other groups to volunteer with locally.

I have heard good things about Habitat. Their main mission, and a bold one, is to eradicate homelessness and poverty housing worldwide. Candidates are chosen on a need basis although the criteria is unclear. This is accomplished by offering a couple of different models. The overarching one that most people identify with is the new build whereby candidates make a nominal monetary investment and a whole lot of sweat equity in exchange for a interest-free 30 year mortgage. Building materials and supplies are donated as is the labor involved in the construction project. A program called A Brush With Kindness is a way to partner with community members to improve existing homes for those families in need.

Our project today was A Brush With Kindness in a Los Angeles residence. Like I said the selection process seems a little ambiguous and I am trying to refrain from being judgmental in any way but I was a little more than miffed about this particular project. The homeowner is an elderly lady who has owned the home for 23 year years. The house is a spacious, well-kept Spanish style with signature tile roof and original wood-frame paned windows. The Habitat staff made a big deal about how she works with seniors in her retirement. To me, it seems like an unbalanced pay back for contributions she's made to her community to have a collective of 15-20 volunteers from Habitat for Humanity, Americorps, and Pepperdine University repaint the exterior of the house while 2 able bodied young men sat watching football all day.

I hate myself for having these feelings and am sure I'm going straight to hell but how do I sign on for a such a gift? My house, certainly the landscaping, leaves much more to be desired than this so called needy homeowner. The saddest part is that most of this woman's neighbors could have benefited from the help offered by this organization. Many of the surrounding homes are in a state of ill-repair and dilapidation yet the target property was nothing more than an ugly color.

My excitement about doing something that significantly improves life for a deserving family has been somewhat tainted. I my search continues for a deserving organization committed in practice to their stated mission.