By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati residents will step up in service to mark the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks for the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati will host construction service projects in Latonia Lakes and East Price Hill, beginning on September 10th. Volunteers are needed (provided photo).
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati has planned events that span the week of 9/11 in order to provide additional volunteer experiences and advance the construction of several new homes in Latonia Lakes in Northern Kentucky and in East Price Hill in Cincinnati.
Jennifer Kephart, volunteer services and program manager for Habitat for Humanity Greater Cincinnati, issued a call for volunteers for the local projects at a recent Florence City Council meeting.
“We are kicking this off on September 10. We will have two days off to get our materials together and then we will come back Wednesday through Saturday,” Kephart said. “We’re hoping to recruit volunteers, in fact we still need volunteers (Wednesday through Saturday) for Latonia Lakes. We can host up to 30 volunteers per day on those sites.”
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati is a non-profit Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate substandard housing locally and globally by building and renovating simple, decent, affordable homes to sell to low-income families in need.
“(People) can volunteer for one day, or every day, but most volunteer for one day,” Kephart said.
During the week of service, Habitat for Humanity will remember the victims of 9/11 and honor the heroes who work daily to insure our safety and freedom. Members of the U.S. Military, Veterans, and First Responders are encouraged to join Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati as it comes together to build the homes.
“We have opportunities for practically anyone,” Kephart said. “You don’t have to have any skill or background in construction. Show up with a sense of enthusiasm, a spirit of flexibility and goodwill and we’ll give you the resources, tools and safety materials and we’ll coach it up and build a home together.”
In Northern Kentucky, the group will build three homes, side-by-side, on Jericho Road in Latonia Lakes.
A typical build takes 2 to 14 weeks and Habitat for Humanity strives to find veteran matches for the homes it builds. It has partnered with Home Depot to increase the emphasis on assist for veterans in its home repair program.
“For these particular builds we are still finding the family match, so I can’t say for certain that they’ll be veterans, but we continue to recruit to ensure that we have vet service in mind,” Kephart said.
The 9/11 Week of Service & Remembrance with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati was inspired by “9/11 Day,” the largest annual day of charitable engagement in the United States. Each year more than 40 million Americans, and many others in 150 countries observe September 11by performing good deeds that help others.
September 11th was designated a national day of service by the 2009 Kennedy Serve America Act. The Corporation for National and Community Service leads the annual event, working with 9/11 Day and hundreds of nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, schools, and businesses nationwide.
This year, thousands of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are expected to join their neighbors in delivering meals, refurbishing schools and community centers, collecting food and clothing, signing up as mentors, reading to children, and more.
Since 1986, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati has built, renovated or repaired more than 550 homes throughout a nine county region in the Tri-State area including Hamilton, Butler, Clermont and Warren counties in Ohio; Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties in Kentucky; and Dearborn and Ohio counties in Indiana.
For more information on Habitat For Humanity, click here www.habitatcincinnati.org . To volunteer for the upcoming events, individually or as a group, email getinvolvedvolunteer@habitatcincinnati.com , or contact Heather Cockram at 513/482-5614.
Contact Mark Hansel at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com
