Despite the pouring rain, students, sponsors and board members alike turned out for the groundbreaking of Trinity Prep’s 16th annual Habitat House on Saturday, Sept. 20 and bore smiles despite the unrelenting rain. Some huddled under a tent, while others braved the weather to help fill in holes and pick up debris from the site.
Hal George and Thaddeus Seymour both gave speeches about the tremendous accomplishment the school has achieved by building its 16th house. George was proud to say, as far as he knows, Trinity has worked with Habitat to build more homes than any other school in the country, and that streak will likely continue.
The new house will be the fourth Habitat House on English Court in Winter Park. Seymour explained the importance of having a good neighborhood community and how both the school and Habitat are improving the lives of the recipients of the house as well as the entire neighborhood.
Throughout the course of the year, students will devote their Saturdays to building a home for the new family. This year’s project will be a single family home featuring three bedrooms and one bath. Once construction has begun, it should take between seven to nine months for completion.
To assist in the process, each home has the generous support of community members as well as Habitat for Humanity itself who invest about $100,000 in total to the building project. In order to be qualified for a home, families must fulfill the minimum requirement of working 100 hours for Habitat.
Habitat for Humanity is an organization that gives deserving families living spaces they otherwise would not have the opportunity to own. It not only provides people shelter, but also gives families benefits like being able to send their children to better schools so they get a finer education. All families who apply for homeownership are given the gift of a better life.
“Habitat for Humanity seeks to be a partner and catalyst in building communities where everyone has an opportunity to thrive,” the organization’s Executive Director, Kassi Bernard said.
Alongside bettering the lives of the families who receive homes, Habitat strengthens the community through volunteering. People from a variety of demographics gather together bright and early on Saturday mornings to provide deserving families opportunities they otherwise would not have.
Sophomore Quinn Martin spent many of his weekends at the Habitat house the previous school year.
“This is an amazing way to benefit people,” he said. They can essentially pay their down payment by working on their own house and have fun in the process.”
When working with an organization like Habitat, teenagers and adults join forces for a charitable cause that is aimed toward the benefit of others.
Bernard explained how Habitat is not just about improving housing, but is also centered around “building hope and the belief that healthier communities are achievable and beneficial for all.”
Getting to know amazing people and then forging bonds with them are what she loves about the organization. In addition to allowing people to receive aid, Habitat provides the opportunity for others to give back as well.
“When the broad community is engaged in addressing the urgent need for adequate, affordable shelter, we all become less vulnerable and more resilient,” Bernard said. “People and making connections are the reasons we do what we do, and people are needed to make it all happen.”
Habitat for Humanity is not simply an organization dedicated to building projects, but it additionally builds a sense of community among individuals. Trinity hopes for the best of success as the school takes on another year of construction.
