Melissa Norman fundraising for Poland-'18 Gafford Team
Melissa Norman
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From Melissa Norman
This will be my fifth international build. I've seen firsthand the difference we can make in only a week, and with your help we will be making a difference in Poland!
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About Me
I know this might sound like a cliché, but volunteering with Habitat has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. When I went on my first trip to Poland a few years ago, I had no idea just how much of an impact it would leave on me. I went in with the expectation of "helping people", but instead found my whole worldview changed. Yes, we were helping people, but what we were doing was so much more than building a house. We were helping these families by giving them better living conditions, not by giving them a hand out, but by giving a hand up. And the gratitude and love that we received from them humbled me. I realized that what I thought was a "working vacation to a cool place combined with the chance to do good" was in actuality completely life changing for these families. And so I was hooked. This will be my fifth international build, and I hope to be able to do this for many years to come.
You might be asking yourself "Aren't there people in the United States that are just as much in need of assistance?" And the answer is yes, there are. And I love volunteering with my local Habitat group as often as I can. But there's something a little different on these international builds, and the best way I can describe my need to go is that I feel called to it.
Your donation to my trip isn't funding a "vacation to a cool place", it's funding the opportunity to change the lives of people in areas of the world that don't experience the charity and volunteerism that we see here in the United States. Your support means so much more than building a house, it means building a home.
Thank you for your support! f you want to follow the progress and see what your donation is going to, check back here for a link to the trip blog that we will update during the build.
~Melissa
More Info
Economic Housing Institute research indicates that almost one in four apartments in Poland should be condemned. Of the existing housing stock, approximately one in eight do not have a kitchen, and almost one in ten share a toilet with an entire floor of apartments or have no indoor facility at all. With a severe affordable housing shortage, low-income families often have no choice but to live in substandard housing that threatens their health and safety.
Thrivent and Habitat:
No matter who we are or where we come from, we all deserve to have a decent life. We deserve to feel strength and stability day after day. At Habitat for Humanity, this is what unites us. Through shelter, we empower. Building with Habitat for Humanity International is a profound experience for all involved. It’s not just sticks and blocks. It is tears and smiles, borne of hard work and faith.That’s why Thrivent Financial works with Habitat and it’s why we want to do more. Much more. Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity engages congregations, Thrivent members, Habitat affiliates, and individuals from across the United States and around the world to build hundreds of housing solutions per year for Habitat homeowners, directly reducing poverty housing around the world.Thrivent Financial’s mission as a membership organization of Christians is to guide people to be wise with money and live generously. Leading or participating in a Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip with Habitat is a prime way to put that mission in action.
About Thrivent Builds Worldwide:
The Thrivent Builds program combines the financial, volunteer, and advocacy resources of Thrivent Financial together with the affordable housing leadership of Habitat for Humanity. Thrivent Builds Worldwide teams are led by members of Thrivent Financial and build in communities both locally and around the world. To learn more, please visit www.thriventbuilds.com
Global Village is Habitat for Humanity’s international volunteer program. Teams travel to over 40 countries to work alongside communities, build housing solutions, and experience local culture. Our goal is to change the lives of the people we serve, as well as the lives of the volunteers.
To join a team or learn more, visit www.habitat.org/gv.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 1,300 communities throughout the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.
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