Last week, the Clemson campus chapter for Habitat for Humanity kicked off their Act!Speak!Build! program. It is a week filled with events advocating Habitat for Humanity and housing issues. The chapter was trying to spread the word to Clemson’s campus and get student’s interested in the need for housing.
Events included having groups build a mock “shanty,” a movie reel and a dinner. The poverty dinner was Thursday at 8:00 p.m. at the Lutheran church located in downtown Clemson. At the dinner, each person was randomly assigned a “social class” and fed based on the average meal a member of that class might eat. Also, Jill Evans, the Executive Director of Pickens County Habitat for Humanity, spoke about her trips and experiences she has encountered throughout her time with Habitat.
President of Clemson’s Habitat for Humanity chapter, Ariel Nissan, said, “Act! Speak! Build! week is about spreading the message of all that is Habitat for Humanity. Many people focus on the Build! part, but in order for the organization to continue and grow people have to act and speak out to advocate on behalf of Habitat for Humanity and housing issues.”
Bridget Fitzgibbons, a sophomore in the Communication Studies major decided to get involved with Habitat for Humanity this year. She said, “with how crazy college can be, it’s incredible to be surrounded by so many people who are not only as passionate about Clemson as you are, but also care about helping people in need. It’s easy to become selfish in college, and the fact that we have one of the most active Habitat for Humanity college chapters in the nation really says something about Clemson’s community.”
The purpose and mission statement of Clemson’s Habitat for Humanity chapter is to improve the housing situation in the local community and abroad through education, fundraising and building. The Clemson chapter was founded in 1994, following the completion of a house they had built on Bowman field. Now, each year, during Homecoming week, students build a house for Habitat for Humanity.
In the fall of 2008, Clemson’s chapter was named Campus Chapter of the Year by Habitat for Humanity International at the Youth Leadership Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. At this conference, Clemson was asked to give a presentation entitled “LEED the Way in Green Building.” As a result, they were able to organize a Global Village trip to Zacapa, Guatemala where they were able to work with homeowners and local masons to continue the mission of providing safe, decent housing.
Habitat for Humanity is a great way to get more involved with Clemson and do something good for the local community at the same time.
Bridget said, “I knew I wanted to get involved with as much as I could, and I ended up feeling like everything I was doing was just for me. I’m really passionate about community service and getting involved and helping out. Learning more about the poverty epidemic helps keep life in perspective, instead of life revolving around the next hot fraternity party or the next big test. The people who are in the group seem awesome, too!”
Join Habitat for Humanity today!
Upstate Homeless Coalition of South Carolina 