On a recent episode of The Baltimore Sun’s Roughly Speaking with Dan Rodricks there was an interview with Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake.  During the interview they spoke about the change that had occurred in the Woodbourne-McCabe neighborhood since Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake began their program in that neighborhood.  While listening to that interview, I couldn’t help but smile knowing that I had the chance to be able to assist in at least a small part of that change.

A few months ago, I signed up to volunteer with NewWave Tech’s Corporate Social Responsibility Team for their Habitat Build Day with Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake.  On the build day we went out to the site and worked with the Habitat for Humanity staff on landscaping, painting, and installing exterior hardware on several homes along McCabe Avenue.  Throughout the day we met and spoke with people that lived on the street and in the neighborhood about the program and the impact that it had brought.  There was a neighborhood park that had been created, speed bumps that had been installed, and houses that had already been refurbished.  Looking around you could see that while there was still work to be done, progress in the right direction was being made.  The input and participation from the neighborhood partners really did make the entire experience that much more, because we were able to lend a assistance in a way that was unobtrusive to those we were there to help and that gave them equity to be able continue to build upon.

Working with NewWave’s CSR team and having the opportunity to participate and foster a connection to the greater community in which we work through an act of service felt immensely rewarding. Being able to commit positive acts to aide in improving the community is something that I believe in strongly.  There is a special feeling of fellowship with others that comes as a result from the action of helping those around you.  Whether it be for those familiar to you or a stranger we all can do an act of kindness for those in need of a helping hand, and I look forward to continuing to work with CSR to do my part in that.