Aid Organizations

The History and Mission of Habitat for Humanity

A Volunteer Group Working Together to Put Up Walls for Habitat for Humanity

Image source: Glassdoor.com

When I think of volunteering, one of the first organizations that comes to mind is Habitat for Humanity. Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity has become a world leader in volunteering. Nearly 2 billion people on planet Earth live in slum housing. Over 100 million people are homeless. Habitat’s focus is on providing safe, affordable, decent housing for these people around the world. They strive to be environmentally friendly whenever possible by using sustainable materials and energy-efficient construction. Their disaster response program is aimed at providing shelter and housing to help families in the wake of natural disasters like fires, floods or earthquakes, wherever they occur.

Pajama Program: Keeping Kids Cozy!

Students from The Todd School in Westchester

Image source: Wressentials.com

At 38, Genevieve Piturro was married and successful, but she felt like something was missing. She never wanted to have children of her own, but she loved children and wanted to be around them. So she started volunteering at local shelters, reading to the kids before bedtime. She was surprised by their lack of a bedtime routine. For those of us lucky enough to grow up in a home with parents, bedtime was our chance to get cozy, to slow down from the day, and to feel loved. But these kids didn’t have that comfort. They didn’t even have pajamas!

Cystic Fibrosis Canada: Volunteering for Health

Michaela with an Oxygen Mask to Treat Her Cystic Fibrosis

Image source: Kincanada.ca

If I’ve learned one thing over the past few months it’s that volunteering takes many forms. I’ve written about volunteering in Africa with orphans, in India with refugees, in Central America with environmentalists, and in Florida with coral reefs. I realize now that there are opportunities everywhere, with people, with wildlife, and with organizations behind the scenes. One type of volunteering I haven’t written much about, however, is with organizations closer to home that address a specific medical malady. Cystic Fibrosis Canada does just that.

Roots & Shoots: Dr. Jane Goodall’s Tanzania Project

Goodall Participating in a Roots and Shoots Project in Tanzania

Image source: Greenglobaltravel.com

After writing yesterday’s post about the Darwin Primate Group and the inspiring work of Karin Saks, I spent the rest of the afternoon researching voluntour opportunities with other primate researchers. I found several, though none quite as intimate as the DPG. However, while reading about Dr. Goodall’s recent projects, I stumbled on Roots & Shoots, her community and environmental service initiative in Tanzania.

Rehabilitating Primates with the Darwin Primate Group

Rehabilitated Babboon Mother and Baby at the DPG

Image source: Maggiesergio.livejournal.com

Working with primates holds a special mystique thanks to the legacy of people like Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall (more on volunteer opportunities affiliated with their organizations soon). Primate is a large and diverse order of mammals that includes chimpanzees, our closest evolutionary ancestors. Many scientists are drawn to the study of primatology because they see so many similarities between the animals they work with and themselves. As a volunteer, working with primates offers a unique opportunity to experience the humanness of wildlife. No other animals can tell us more about our own evolutionary past, and yet, like so many others, these animals are in great danger.