So what am I doing here? I'm volunteering for a year as an AmeriCorps - Vista. AmeriCorps is often compared to the PeaceCorps, but for internal service within the States. AmeriCorp has several different programs for a variety of different people ranging from high school graduates to professionals with college degrees. The latter is the Vista program in which I'm enrolled.
Where does Habitat fall in all this? AmeriCorp Vistas associate themselves with existing non-profit organizations to help improve and help grow their capacity to alleviate poverty in the States. I'm helping Habitat for Humanity - Suffolk County do just that. My role as a volunteer Vista is not to do direct service (like construction, although I do involve myself in that on my own), but rather establish programs that can be implemented by Habitat when I'm gone. My specific goal is to help develop Sustainable Design and Construction trends for Habitat-Suffolk.
How does Green Building Help Fight Poverty? Well 80% or more of green building is achieved through energy efficiency (I'm sure I'll blog about this later). When Habitat improves the efficiency of their homes they are ultimately putting money back in the pockets of their homeowners through reduces utility bills. This assists them in being able to pay their mortgage and work their way out of poverty.
Vista and the Big Bucks! So I am technically a volunteer here in New York. I'm rolling in a sustenances based wage that is enough to get by. I qualify for Food Stamps, which is humbling while it simultaneously helps me in my understanding of who I'm assisting. I'm blessed to have the opportunity to do this.
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