Community Rebuilds

A Student's Story

 

In April of her senior year in college, a student interested in everything but decided on nothing sat panicking about her lack of plans after graduation. Everybody around her was going to grad school or medical school or was bound for the Peace Corps. But she was bound for none of these things. She was likely bound for her parent's basement in farm country Minnesota. Or perhaps the circus. She could not find a place to start her professional career, let alone a position that was meaningful and enjoyable. But then, flipping through her thousands of upon thousands of career related emails, she found Community Rebuilds. Not much of the organization was described in this email, and there was even less information on their website. They were just barely getting off the ground. But the words that stood out to her-- mud plaster, straw bale home, affordable housing, Utah-- sounded just mysterious enough for the student to jump. She applied. She got in. She was headed to Utah. She didn't even know what Utah was. And like what was this straw bale stuff? It was a big hairy adventure. She hoped it would pay off. 

Well, it's two years later and the student says, "It sure did." I know because that student is me (are you surprised?), the lucky one writing this story and sharing with you about her favorite nonprofit organization- Community Rebuilds.  You see, that summer I headed off to Utah and began my natural building education semester. I worked and lived with 6 other student interns, building a beautiful, unique home for a great couple. I got muddy, I got strong, and I learned how to use a chainsaw. I made wonderful friends and I got to work with an organization I felt served its community with integrity and ingenuity. With it's mission to make housing affordable for the workforce, it's focus on using many local, natural materials like clay plasters and straw bale insulation, and its commitment to a home design that uses free solar energy to heat every home, I felt CR was a friend to the environment, a friend to the community, and an example of a truly creative agent for change.  It was one of the most fulfilling experience of my life. 

And I still feel this way today. 

As the current Organizational Apprentice, I've seen CR grow into an exciting force in the community (Now with a website! Check it out!), and am happy to support it's development on the jobsite, in the office, and during events like this with my pocket book. But Community Rebuilds needs many helping hands to build our homes and our education programs. We rely on generous supporters like you to help us buy books for our school and tools for our builds, support student interns, and pay for instructors. We also dream of someday being able to build our own office and student facilities. Meeting these goals means we can create a stronger organization and better realize our mission to build energy-efficient homes, provide education on sustainability and improve the housing conditions of the workforce through an affordable program. 

 

Would you consider a gift to help us reach these goals and realize our mission? 

Thank you and sincerely,  

Jessica Retka