Montana AmeriCorps Alums is recognizing Mat Darlington with four tickets to attend the Tim Tebow fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity of South West Montana.
Mat is currently a Montana Tech student and serving with AmeriCorps with Campus Corps. This team that serves with Habitat for Humanity at MT Tech comprises a team of 15 students working 4 days a week to build high performance, solar-ready homes are all Construction Trades degree seeking students.
Mat Darlington, a Young Adult Service Corps Alumni who served in high school with Neighborhood Works in Great Falls, Montana and now attends Montana Tech and serves with Campus Corps at Habitat said, “I could sit around and watch TV or I can haul around 2x4's building houses for people who physically can’t put in that sweat equity. But they paint, while they paint we build and the projects are completed faster. It’s a team effort.”
Joining Mat will be Bill Ryan, Department Chair of the Trades and Technology Division at MT Tech and two other AmeriCorps members to hear Tim Tebow’s word of inspiration to help out Habitat for Humanity.
Over the years Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Montana has benefited from many AmeriCorps and VISTA members through service and alumni as staff. The last completed project included 9 units, including 3 ADA compliant units. Habitat has committed to building “visit able” homes in its projects in Butte, meaning a wheelchair bound person can use the home without barrier. Because Habitat requires a certain level of sweat equity for each new home owner, AmeriCorps members engage side by side with volunteers play a critical role for those who are disabled.
Barbara Miller of Habitat for Humanity noted that a few of the Corps members worked over Christmas and Spring break to help complete these homes.
“AmeriCorps members are a miracle, helping the disabled buy accessible homes,” Miller said. “These AmeriCorps students are invested in the Butte community through their service with Habitat, for them it's not just a class; they are taking pride in this learning process. The message of Habitat is instilled in the students. The AmeriCorps Tech students are building homes for people who ‘need a hand up not a hand out’.”
Darlington said the AmeriCorps Education Award enabled him to pursue a degree in Construction Management. There is no doubt Darlington thinks this hands-on learning and service experience is something all schools should offer. His voice rings with excitement as he explains that the house they build exceed energy efficiency standards. He says with a chuckle “these new home owners’ heating and cooling bills for the year will equal what I pay in month because they are that energy efficient.”
Montana AmeriCorps Alumni Co-Chair and ServeNext Montana Organizer Heather Margolis explain that "Mat represents how AmeriCorps members strengthen the impact of local nonprofits and state agencies improving lives of Montana’s across the state." "Without AmeriCorps, pursuing a four year degree was not an option for Mat and without AmeriCorps; Habitat would not have been able to build as many homes in South West Montana or across the country. We need alums like Mat to tell their service stories, so that more Montanans understand what is at stake when funding for AmeriCorps and all of national service is on the chopping block.”
Since Habitat partnered with the Corporation for National and Community Service in 1994, over 7,000 AmeriCorps members have served with Habitat for Humanity. These individuals have served over 15,000 U.S. families, contributed more than 12 million hours of service, raised tens of millions of dollars in cash and in-kind resources and mobilized over 2.5 million volunteers. For more information or to learn how to get involved please visit habitat.org/americorps or americorps.gov.
No comments:
Post a Comment