Service over Spring Break - ASB Staycation!

Monday, April 6^{th -} 8^th 2015,  fourteen volunteers worked with Rebuilding Together NYC, a non-profit organization that provides affordable and healthy housing for those in need.  Over the course of the three days volunteers worked at two houses—one in the Rockaways and one in Canarsie, Brooklyn. 

The house in the Rockaways was in the late stages of repair with Rebuilding Together. Students repaired the outside brick, sanded newly set drywall, and painted two rooms in the basement.  Of the group of first year-senior students, less than half of the volunteers had completed this kind of community service before, so the site coordinator and Americ-Corps Vistas worked with our volunteers to give them instructions once on site.  Our efficient team finished the work in the Rockaways in just one day, allowing them to move to a second house in Canarsie for the remainder of Staycation.

The house in Canarsie was in the earlier stages of repair.  The room had been cleared and started the basic structural repairs.  Eager with their newly acquired skills, the team completely sanded the basement room within an hour and a half and began to paint the room. Some volunteers mixed and set a cement floor in the bathroom and others added track and built walls. The final day was spent adding a second coat of paint, completing the wall in the boiler room and tiling more than three-quarters of the basement flooring.

 

The impact that these students made in the few days of service was tremendous.  The Office of Student Leadership and Activities has worked with Rebuilding Together NYC several times through this academic year and each time we are able to see the impact that our students make in Hurricane Sandy restoration.  For more information on Rebuilding Together NYC, you can visit www.rebuildingtogethernyc.org if you are interested in doing community service with Hofstra please visit www. hofstra.edu.communityservice