Saint Cloud State Univeristy Mitchell Hall

Pictured clockwise starting from the top: Ann Budig, Emily Calhoun, Marissa Meissner, Amanda Weissner and Brianne Dohrn.

Group lead by: Ann Budig

Sometimes when you volunteer, you end up doing something completely different than what was originally anticipated. This St. Cloud State group can tell you just that. Instead of putting up framing, like Ann has done with us previously, painting or even landscaping, this group when through mountains of discarded papers, furniture, baby car seats and much more. Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity acquired "Casa Mia", an old homeless shelter which consists of two homes (one a historical site) connected by a breeze way, and that is where this group was working. We at Central Minnesota Habitat are excited by this new opportunity to put two large families into their own home after waiting three years!

                We asked Ann what she liked about volunteering with Habitat and she said that she enjoys getting to know her group better while they help out a family in need. She is the Hall Director for the Mitchell Residence Hall and tries to get her residents out into the community. "We may only be cleaning today, but this allows others to move the stuff so the renovation can start so the family can move in. So we are directly helping the family, even though it may not seem like it. It's all about the bigger picture." She also said that what she enjoys most about helping Habitat is the tangible results, "We can walk away today seeing the basement empty when it wasn't before we started."

                We want to thank Ann and her group for volunteering with us! It's words and ideas like Ann's that gets people moving towards the larger cause, to help fight poverty housing and to give a family a safe, decent and affordable home.