I wear my clothing forever because I am not a shopper and do not enjoy looking for new clothing. However, there are some pieces of clothing I no longer wear for a variety of reasons, yet in good shape for someone else to make use of. Time for my donation.
The other day I was walking by a Goodwill donation center and I wondered if I had anything to donate. A woman was emptying the trunk of her car with what she wished to donate. Interestingly, another woman was driving by and yelled out her window asking if the woman was donating the the cat carrier. Wow, amazing. The cat carrier never even made it into the donation center! Win, win!
Look around your community for bins to donate clothing, etc. Some places even accept furniture and appliances. The important thing is if an item is still clean and usable, allow someone else an opportunity to use it. There are a variety of places to drop items to donate. Don’t send reusable things to the landfill! Your donated item may be another’s treasure! Case in point, the cat carrier!
Clothes and shoes here; for furniture find another donation center such as Habitat for Humanity or Goodwill.
We left Torres del Paine National Park, Chile to drive to El Calafate, Argentina, but first I must share a photo of the view we saw when leaving the park!
Waving goodbye to park and rainbow!
It was a beautiful end to our park visit! We had quick border crossings at Chile and then Argentina and arrived along the bank of Argentina Lake at the town of Calafate. So, 12 years ago there was a population of about 5 thousand people. Now, 30 thousand! The town thrives on tourism! It looked so different to me since my last visit!
Our group visited a local estancia/Patagonian ranch to learn about the gaucho lifestyle. Our host talked of his family’s history on this ranch where he grew up, demonstrated the sheep herding routine with his dog and hand-shearing of sheep. While this happened, the BBQ fire was cooking the lamb we would eat a couple of hours later.
As he talked, he drank mate, from a gourd with a filtered, metal straw. Mate contains antioxidants and is a social ritual in this country.Lamb BBQ cookingLamb with vegetables served at our lunch at the ranch.We learned and tried to throw the bola. It is a weapon to entangle the legs of the animal you need to get. Quite a challenge throwing the bola with any accuracy and distance.At the ranch sheep area.
Back at Calafate, a couple of my fellow travelers joined me on a birding hike. The wind was constantly blowing so it was impossible to use Merlin ID for sound recordings. Fortunately I had my camera to photograph many. Of the 22 birds species we saw at Laguna Nimez Reserve, 11 were new birds for my life list. I’ll have a blog posts simply on birds another time.
Entrance to trail. A NGO has helped protect this lake frontage from wild dogs for the last 12 years. As we looked beyond the fencing, 2 dogs were wanting to get at the birds within.Important protecting this area for birds!
Women build and participate in Habitat for Humanity projects in various ways. Recently there was a “Women Build”. Twelve homes were wired for eventual electrical appliances to be connected in each home in the upcoming weeks. For many of us, this was a learning experience on how to wire a house! Other times I have been at work projects painting interior rooms or stuccoing exterior house walls. It’s is great fun to be actively working. We often learn new skills while benefitting the future homeowner who will be moving into a new home!
Twelve new homes!
“Women Build” is actually a co-ed activity. However, there is with the majority being women on particular dates to encourage women to participate in such projects. I’m not sure why women hesitate to hammer away at other times. When a larger gathering of women is planned though, they show up. We had a very productive day getting the homes wired!
Listening to safety talk at start.
The logo for the shirt was a winning logo from a community member. The poem on the back of the shirt was written by a local Habitat for Humanity employee.
Logo on front of t-shirt
Poem on back of t-shirt
Future home owners were in attendance too as they put their required sweat equity work hours in. It’s very exciting to hear them share what they are learning in their required classes. Plus they talk about the support they are getting from their support team. It’s a long process, but valuable to each future homeowner.
Join in!
Join a Habitat for Humanity project. No building skills are required. Learn the skill as you ask questions for the particular need that day. That’s how all of us help out! Don’t be shy; don’t hesitate; we all work together for a greater good! Join in!
A nonprofit housing organization I have been active with throughout the years in New York State and Arizona is Habitat for Humanity. I was also fortunate to participate in a week-long project in Poland in 2019.
For me, I enjoy helping to build a home, to work side by side with the future home owner and to be present when the family cuts the ribbon and enters their home officially! The homes Habitat for Humanity constructs are solid, permanent homes for low-income people/families. An application is necessary with a process to be completed. If chosen, the adults begin their sweat-equity work towards a home. While it can take time, I have met very happy potential home owners on site putting in their sweat-equity hours after finally hearing they were selected. Many people apply, but unfortunately the need is great and cannot be met by Habitat alone. Once again the excitement of owning one’s home is such a joy to share with another person/family.
One of the best things to happen for Habitat in Humanity in Tucson, Arizona was the construction of the warehouse named the CHUCK Center, or the Connie Hillman Urban Construction Knowledge Center. Beyond those of us volunteering our time building walls for homes in the Tucson area, the CHUCK Center has a workforce development and construction training program. It’s a joy for me to build walls indoors and avoid the harsh summer Arizona heat and winter cold. The 4 house walls are eventually delivered to the appropriate site for installation there. Also at the CHUCK Center, a couple apartments will be available for AmeriCorp workers and the center provides instruction for individuals learning skills to be our future skilled construction workers.
Our local Habitat may also be helping other housing non-profits with construction of their homes to meet their program goals. Here is where I believe the collaboration between agencies/organizations needs to happen to truly solve our nation’s housing need.
Habitat for Humanity is nationwide. You can volunteer and help with construction; no skills necessary … you can learn as you go. Other volunteer opportunities within Habitat are available if you feel unsure about wielding a hammer. Check out your local Habitat for Humanity. For more information, click the links below for the national website and/or the one specific to Tucson, Arizona.
Here’s my second of three housing – related posts:
Maybe on some of the street corners in your town, you have seen panhandlers. Each of these individuals have their story and some may be homeless. Homelessness has risen in the USA since 2017 and made worse during the pandemic. There are not enough shelters to meet the need. Plus, shelters have some shortcomings: lack of safe and private space possibly being the biggest concern.
I have always liked the sign below. There are agencies that will help people in need. The collaborative effort on the part of many agencies is what will work.
Help is available.
In California, a project, “The Homing Project”, has been successful and as a result other communities across the USA are looking into it too. Recently, I met volunteers with “The Homing Project” and saw a mini home. The Tucson, Arizona non-profit organization has some land to start the project here; however, they are also looking for additional 1 – 1.5 acres of land, or more, to set up future communities. Each 64 square foot home will be for tenants younger than 25 and older than 50. A mini home has one or two beds, storage for belongings, locking doors and climate control. The prefabricated mini homes can be assembled in a day and dismantled as needs change. Along with the mini homes, there will be a communal kitchen, laundry room, private showers, community area and medical, dental and other support services. The mini homes would be enclosed in a gated area with security, but even so some neighborhoods are worried about the mini homes being in certain locations.
To learn more about this non-profit organization, which advocates “it takes a village to build a village”, click on the link below:
Whether you agree with Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs or not, our physiological needs are at the bottom level of the pyramid. This means, these are the most important things every person should have to even begin to help form their behavior. They are breathing, food, water, shelter, clothing and sleep. Think about it: breathing is mandatory, and food, and water. Clothing is a must and so is sleep … and the best place to get it is in a safe and secure shelter … most of us call home.
Today and the following two posts, I wish to share three Tucson, Arizona programs addressing the housing crisis for different populations of people. We know there is a housing crisis in the USA, but what are we doing about it? My energy and interest is in programs being collaborative in their efforts since one approach will not solve the housing situation for all. Housing is needed for youth aging out of foster care, and homeless individuals, and people wanting their first home. Each program is helping in a small way. Here’s the first of three Tucson, Arizona housing programs:
Housing for Youth: I Am Somebody
Recently I participated in building a raised garden bed for a program http://IAmYou360.org
known also as, “I Am Somebody”. Our volunteer work project was at a small community of homes in construction for youth aged 18 – 22 years of age. These are young people who had aged out of foster care and still need help. In Tucson, Desiree Cook, started this non-profit organization as a result of her own experience and saw the need for 20,000 youth in this state needing a hand up. So far 4,000 youth have been helped with this program which has many dimensions. Please click on the links provided in this post to learn more about what this organization offers youth. Here is my take-away of my volunteer time on-site.
We were building raised garden beds at a location where nine 450 square foot homes will be available for youths aged 18 – 22. The individuals will pay $1.00 per square foot per month with half of it set aside for future purchase of a home when they age out of this program. The homes are energy efficient. Each person is required to attend classes, provided by the organization. They are about economics/financial literacy and other skills, such as cooking, gardening, etc. The instruction is to meet this goal: empower the whole person. Each young person must complete a high school diploma or GED, if not already done so, and the young man I spoke with was working on an associate degree at the local college. With their home/shelter, the young people can focus on so much more with the support of this organization.
By the way, I also learned seeds are available at local public libraries. So if you wish to garden, stop in and get some seeds!
To know more about the “I Am You 360/I Am Somebody” program in Tucson, Arizona: click on the link below
