A team from Humana’s Innovation Center recently faced a cold morning to participate in building a home through Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is a great organization. They help people get their lives on track in an effective and sustainable way. There is nothing quite like being a homeowner — and knowing you earned it. Habitat owners aren’t just given homes. They pay for half of them (on an interest-free mortgage), while the other half is typically paid for through donations. The building costs are defrayed because the homes are built by volunteers. The homeowners build right alongside the volunteers. Neighbors helping neighbors.
We met at 8:30 a.m. at the Habitat construction site and watched a short video about the Habitat effort in Louisville. They’ve built more than 322 houses since they started a few years ago. We were to work on house number 323, a refurbishment project, owned by a charming young lady. We caravan-ed to the site, sandwiched between two homes, and started putting up gleaming new vinyl siding.
This isn’t the first time I’ve done Habitat for Humanity. I’ve built homes in a few countries in a lot of different climates, from the boiling, humid summer of India to the brisk winter chill of North Carolina. But this was probably the coldest Habitat build I’ve ever been on. No matter the weather, I invariably have fun and draw closer to the people I’m with. There is something about demanding, repetitive labor that opens up personal histories and fosters camaraderie. That, coupled with the knowledge that our actions are making a direct and immediate impact on the people we’re trying to help, frame the experience in satisfaction. I feel like I got to know my team members better while we were two stories up on scaffolding, hammering siding to the wall.
Volunteering with Habitat is also a very healthy activity. It’s good for your emotional and physical health. In Honduras, I spent a week in a pit, trying to cut through rocks with a glorified railroad spike. I came out of that pit with abs. And I felt good about what I had done — the people we were helping now had a foundation for their new home. But more important than my personal satisfaction was the fact that I left the trip with lifelong friends who I still keep in touch with on a regular basis. We all worked together to accomplish something and were better for it. That’s what team building should be.
Photo by DannyC
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