The Kelley Institute for Social Impact at Indiana University began construction Oct. 10 on a new home for a Bloomington family, the 16th year of its partnership with Habitat for Humanity.
This project is a collaboration between the Kelley Institute, Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County and the Whirlpool Corporation. Since it started, more than 3,500 IU students, faculty and staff have helped build affordable housing in Monroe County.
Tommy Gardner, assistant director of the Kelley Institute for Social Impact, says the program's impact extends beyond the families receiving homes. He says students carry their experiences beyond the project itself, helping spread awareness of the program to other students, some even returning for the next annual build.
“The more we see that, the more we know that we've really had a great build and had a pretty positive impact not only on the Kelley community or the IU community, but on the Bloomington community as well," Gardner said.
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Families apply and are selected based on need, ability to repay a mortgage and willingness to complete service hours. Ricardo and Ana Andrea Hernandez, parents of two daughters, were selected as this year's recipients. They currently live in an apartment, but the home project will be finished Oct. 24.
While this is a community effort and gathers support through fundraising, the house itself is not a donation. The Hernandezes have a low-cost mortgage and must complete 250 hours of volunteering, called “sweat equity,” which they have already begun by working on other Habitat projects.
Over the years, the program has improved the types of homes it's been able to build through grant funding. Homes may now include solar panels, and through a partnership with Whirlpool, appliances.
Gardner says that the project brings undergraduate and faculty members into parts of Bloomington they may not have seen before. He says it allows participants to give back, while also being a part of something bigger than themselves.
“I think that a really great thing that this can hopefully show our students is that getting involved in your community and having a positive impact is something that is pretty accessible and pretty attainable to do,” Gardner said.
