Volunteers from Miami Job Corps Center recently bridged alliances with Habitat for Humanity when they went to work  for the “Liberty City Shine” project in North Miami.   The initiatives of this project involve redeveloping 90 units of demolished or vacant properties that will later be available at affordable prices to families that qualify based on need.  The MJCC youth volunteers were made up of construction trainees from the centers Facility Maintenance trade and Instructors Rogelio Romero and Alberto Fiallo, with the Home Builders Institute(HBI).  The Job Corps crew, in teaming up with experienced Habitat construction staff, rolled up their sleeves and put their ‘sweat equity’ into painting, roofing and wall framing tasks at various home construction lots near 19 Avenue and NW 71^ststreet.  “With the volume of building that we have planned for the next several months, without a doubt we’ll need more volunteers from organizations like Job Corps in the months ahead, “stated McKenzie Moore Jr., Community Relations Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami.  During tough economic times, Habitat for Humanity is clearly taking a leading role in building hope in areas where it’s needed most.  Despite the mortgage crash that collapsed the stronghold of the commercial building industry, this organization has recently become one of the 10 largest contractors nationwide.  Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity International has built or rehabilitated more than 350,000 houses and has provided shelter for more than 1.75 million people in nearly 90 countries around the world.  Habitat attributes this tremendous impact to the vast cooperation of local volunteers and incoming donations of money and materials it receives.   With its underlying goal to eradicate poverty,  the organization offers interest-free loans to families facing adversity to purchase these homes.  Since its onset in South Florida, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami (HFHGM) has built more than 880 homes in Miami-Dade County.  With the vast abundance of foreclosed properties on the market, Habitat has received federal funding to purchase these vacated and abandoned land areas in South Florida.

Blog Writer:  Lori M. Trujillo