Meghan Parlette, a student at the University of Dayton, has been volunteering in the offices of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Dayton since August. As her time interning here comes to a close, she reflects on what she has learned in this experience.

Community, Hope, and Love: Making a Difference by Meghan Parlette

Community, hope, and love. These are three things that are important in my life, but also extremely valuable to the mission at Habitat for Humanity. When I found out that I had to get a work experience for my sports management class, there were so many options. No matter what the experience was, I wanted to find a place that emphasized community and aligned with values that I believe in. As I began the process of finding a place to get my experience at, I looked online at pretty much every non-profit in the Dayton area. Even though there were many options, I landed on Habitat for Humanity because it was a very well-known organization, and I wanted to learn more about it. Shortly after my internship began, the difference that Habitat for Humanity is making in people’s lives and the emphasis on community, hope, and love, became very apparent.

One of the first experiences that I was able to be a part of was the Rock the Block event that Habitat for Humanity puts on. This is a project that focuses on the revitalization of the Edgemont neighborhood in Dayton. As we began to plan for this event, it was apparent that there was a lot of work that needed to be done. Within the area, there were many spots of overgrowth as well as a lot of areas that became dumping sites for trash. A neighborhood is a space where everyone should feel safe, happy, and welcomed, and the mission of Rock the Block was to do just that. In order to plan this event, we had to identify projects that needed to be done, find volunteers to help out, and gather all of the necessary supplies.

After weeks of planning, Rock the Block was finally here. There were about 150 volunteers who came out to help for about 4 hours. The power of seeing all of these volunteers come together and help impact this neighborhood was quite amazing. Once the event concluded, I was able to see the transformation that occurred in the community. Rock the Block was a very eye-opening experience as to what Habitat for Humanity is doing, and Edgemont is just a small portion of all of the neighborhoods that they have helped revitalize. Through Rock the Block, Habitat is helping take the idea of community, hope, and love to a whole new level.

Along with the Rock the Block event, another example of something that has made a huge impact on me are the house dedications that I was able to attend. Becoming a homeowner is not an easy thing to do, and having a home is a huge blessing that, unfortunately, not everyone is able to have. Owning a house can influence a lot of things in your life. A home is a place where family gathers and makes memories. Having family dinners, watching movies together, cooking, sharing laughs, and so much more, are a part of memories that make a home. As mentioned before, being a homeowner is difficult and it is very financially challenging. However, through hard work, donations, volunteer work, partnerships, and more. Habitat for Humanity makes it possible for low-income families to own a home. Even though the process may be long and hard, the future homeowners that Habitat for Humanity serves work very hard to own a house. Once the future homeowners have completed service, taken homeowner lessons, and gone through all of the proper steps, they are able to purchase their house and get the keys to their new home. As mentioned before, one of the things that I have had the opportunity of doing is attending the house dedications, which is a celebration of their hard work and dedication to purchasing a new home. This moment is by far one of the most impactful and fulfilling things that I have ever had the opportunity of experiencing. Seeing the joy and hard work pay off is so beautiful, and I have been honored to see the impact that Habitat for Humanity helps create.

One last area that I was able to learn a lot about was the critical repairs that Habitat helps with. Critical repairs include fixing things such as roofing, siding, bathrooms, etc. Some of the houses that I witnessed were in very bad condition, and those critical repairs were vital. These repairs can end up being expensive, and for homeowners on a fixed income, it may not be something that they are able to afford. However, the critical repair team at Habitat for Humanity works tirelessly to ensure that the families who need the critical repairs are taken care of. Once these critical repairs are completed, the joy and difference that it can make in these peoples' lives is more powerful than one may think.

Even though my internship at Habitat for Humanity is coming to an end, I am very grateful for everything that I have learned and been able to be a part of. Everyone at Habitat for Humanity has a genuine care to help others and make a difference in the community, and they work tirelessly to do so. One of the quotes that I live by is, “For where your treasure is, your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34). This means that the things that you value the most in life will be close to your heart. I feel that this quote can be applied to many aspects of my life, especially what I have learned here at Habitat for Humanity. Community, hope, and love have always been important to me, but I now have a better understanding and appreciation on how to apply these to my own life. Moving forward, I will forever hold a special place in my heart for Habitat for Humanity and continue to apply the things that I learned there to help others and make a difference in the community.