Habitat's Book and Film Club

Join Habitat’s Book & Film Club

Did you know Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity has a book club? If you enjoy a good read and great discussion, we'd love to have you join us! We choose books that delve into housing, poverty, race, class, social change, and the meaning of home. And this year we are throwing a couple of films into the mix.

Our meetings are the first Monday evening of each month, October – May. We’ll kick off the year on Monday, October 1, 2012, at 7-9 p.m. in St. Paul. What better way to celebrate the back to school season!

Visit our book & film club website for more details and to see what we’ll be reading or watching each month. It’s OK if you can’t make it to every meeting. Simply RSVP on line for the months when you can attend.

William Butler Yeats said, “Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.” As a club we strive to make a difference in the world by gaining a better understanding of important issues facing our community, and by raising our voices to advocate for change.

Here’s what last year’s participants said was most memorable about the Book Club:

I feel inspired! Coming together from different perspectives but with a common goal is critical to solving our community’s housing problems.

Talking about how we could take what we learned from each book to change our own thinking or actions. Hearing about how others' life experiences affect what they got out of each book.

Although I have been a Habitat volunteer for many years, the book club has caused me to look at the reasons behind HFH. It has pushed me to think about why an organization like this needs to exist, and what it means to just have a home. I have never been without a safe place to live. I have always had a place to call home.

The attitudes about affordable housing are often that it's the person's fault that they are in that situation. I liked exploring the idea that it is in our best interest to work for the good of all.

Book reading is usually a solitary activity, but it was really enjoyable to get to share and discuss all the new things I had discovered.

My eyes were opened to the idea of getting involved in public policy.

I read great books that I wouldn’t have picked otherwise and I made some connections with people in the field that I will continue.

Club members were not shy in expressing their opinions and had respect for differences of opinions.

I never knew that someone working full time could still be homeless. That should not happen here.

by Jill Kilibarda