Habitat for Humanity is an international non-profit organization with the purpose of providing homes for those in need. This is achieved by building new houses as well as by fixing up older houses (often termed a "rehabbed" house). Habitat for Humanity Kent County is one of the largest Habitat for Humanity districts in Michigan, and has been awarded numerous times for being environmentally friendly and sustainable. Kent County's builds/rehabs strive to be LEED certified, which is in and of itself, a heavy task. LEED stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environment Design". There are several requirements for LEED certification that all make large impacts in saving energy and in general, being more sustainable.
Altogether there is a list of about 500 things that have to be verified before a home is LEED certified. These requirements also save the homeowner quite a bit financially over time, thus aiding Habitat for Humanity's goal of not only getting people into homes, but also of people being able to maintain homeownership.
Various colleges and universities in Grand Rapids have Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapters. Each chapter schedules two build days each year aside from other volunteer and awareness events. On the build weekends students and those affiliated with each chapter participate from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. The following photos document one day of a build on Albers St. with Cornerstone University's Campus Chapter.
Habitat for Humanity Kent County is in the process of "rehabilitating" this house on Albers St. SW. On April 2, 2011 Cornerstone University's Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity participates in a Saturday day-long collegiate build. Sometimes collegiate build days are opened to the public after college chapter sign-ups are submitted.
Cornerstone University Sophomores (left to right) Crystal Sherbondy, Karla Smith, and Emma Hill work together to move a bathroom countertop from the first floor of the house to the second floor bathroom. The house, located at 1146 Albers St. SW is not a new building, but rather a rehabilated house that had previously been falling apart.
Dan DeMaster, Cornerstone University Senior, cuts wood trim for the inside doors on April 2, 2011. The house is nearly completed with all major work already finished. This collegiate build day, set aside for Cornerstone, is the last part of a multistep project that rehabbed houses have come to be for Habitat for Humanity of Kent County.
Crystal Sherbondy and Emma Hill, CU Sophomores, work together to sand down rough patches of the main door of the house on Albers St. on the day of Cornerstone's collegiate build on Saturday, April 2, 2011.
Tools of the the trade help keep Habitat for Humanity collegiate builds safe, organized, and running smoothly.
Karla Smith, CU Sophomore helps to move extra paint buckets and unneeded items from inside the Habitat for Humanity house on Albers St. SW. This is Smith's first time volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.
The site manager and leader for the day, Jim, helps to gather tools and safety gear needed for the trim and closet hanging to be done inside.
Crystal Sherbondy (Sophomore) and Karla Smith (Sophomore) help to wood putty the window sills in the Habitat for Humanity house being built on Albers St. on April 2, 2011.
Site manager and leader of the Alblers St. Habitat for Humanity build, Jim, advises Dan DeMaster (CU Senior) on the most efficient and easy way to finish securing a door trim to the wall.
Karla Smith (CU Sophomore) and fellow Cornerstone students collect supplies and gear for the next job of the day.
Will Gallmeyer of Grand Rapids and the site manager and leader Jim, discuss what needs to be done as the day ends and prepare for clean up time that the day's volunteers participate in.
Standing (left to right) are Crystal Sherbondy (Sophomore), Jim, the manager of the build site, and Karla Smith (Sophomore). Jim demonstrates how to level accurately to prepare for shelf installation as Sherbondy and Smith observe.
At the end of each day, the volunteer crew all pitch in to clean up the worksite and gather up any tools or supplies left over from the day's work.
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