Youth group helps build Habitat home in Darlington
Student volunteers from Bnei Akiva, a Zionist youth leadership organization based in New York City, spent the week roofing in Hartsville and framing a new home in Darlington on Edwards Avenue. Photo by Samantha Lyles
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
Sounds of hammering and sawing echoed down Edwards Avenue in Darlington last week as Habitat for Humanity volunteers were hard at work building a new home.
College students from Bnei Akiva, a Zionist youth organization based in New York City, worked Tuesday through Friday framing the new house. Their group leader said this kind of hard work is nothing new for his volunteer crew.
“Bnei Akiva is a youth leadership organization and we run many different charity trips and service missions all over the world to help different communities,” said project coordinator Dovid Simpser. “We also run programs that give youth opportunities to take a leadership role within their communities.”
As participants in Bnei Akiva’s leadership training and community outreach efforts, this group of 21 students between ages 19 and 22 – hailing from Queens, Teaneck, the New York City area, Boston, and Canada – visited Darlington County for the week and helped out on three building projects, including two roof replacements in Hartsville.
“We’re helping out with Habitat, and we’re also doing our own educational programs that focus on outreach, charity, and altruism,” said Simpser, adding that he and his fellow students find hands-on construction to be quite fun.
“Habitat is awesome…the work is really cathartic,” said Simpser.
Habitat for Humanity also offers volunteers the chance to labor side by side with the individuals they are helping, which gives the mission trip a unique and very personal context.
“Yesterday we got to work with Corinthia (Robinson), the homeowner. She came out and was working with us, and we got to talk with her and really get to know her. Seeing the direct impact we were having was something really special,” Simpser said.
“Habitat is extremely grateful for the efforts of Bnei Akiva to improve the lives of our future homeowners,” said Mark Haenchen, Habitat’s Executive Director. “The use of volunteers allows us stretch our donor dollars to reach many more families in need of safe, affordable housing.”
Darlington County Habitat works with low-income families to provide safe, affordable housing with the use of volunteer labor and donated materials. Qualifying families spend a minimum of 300 hours helping to build the home and, upon completion, they purchase the home at a discount with a 20-year interest free mortgage.
Habitat is currently seeking volunteers for construction projects and to volunteer in their ReStores. Monetary and in-kind donations are also appreciated. Anyone with interest can contact Habitat for Humanity’s Hartsville office at (843) 383-8500 or visit one of the ReStores at 120 W Washington Street, Hartsville, and 1106 S Main Street in Darlington.
