Five New Orleans Job Corps Center Electrical students teamed with AmeriCorps volunteers from across the country to help build a Habitat for Humanity home in the Carrollton section of the city. The project was one of six Make a Difference Day activities the Center participated in over the course of a week.

“It was a great experience working alongside the Americorps volunteers,” said Electrical student Leon Augustine. “Everything I’ve learned at Job Corps helped me in building a house. I intermingled well with everyone and made some new friends.I used a searing tool to sear different parts of the home, working on the finish of it. We also measured the searing part of it to staple it to the wall. It was pretty much just the outside of the home we were working on.”

Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat for Humanity builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses alongside our homeowner partner families. Families in need of decent shelter apply to local Habitat affiliates.The affiliate’s family selection committee chooses homeowners based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program and their ability to repay the loan.

Make a Difference Day is an annual event where millions of Americans donate their time to a community service project. Some organizations make an entire week of it as Americorps and New Orleans Job Corps did. Mr. Preston Stephens Electrical students donated a lot of “sweat equity” in the Deep South October heat.

“It made me feel good to help build a home for someone less fortunate than me. Every time I drive by this house now I will smile and feel proud that I was part of this experience,” said Leon Augustine.