AmeriCorps: finding yourself in service to others

I currently serve in the AmeriCorps program as a construction volunteer facilitator through Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. When I was a sophomore at Minnesota State University Moorhead I became actively involved in our campus chapter for Habitat for Humanity and instantly fell in love with the organization. Through the AmeriCorps program I am able to continue my work with Habitat for Humanity. In the next couple of paragraphs I would like to touch on two points: (1) How the AmeriCorps program has benefited me; and (2) The positive impact that I have made on my community through the AmeriCorps program.

Mohandas Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” At 24 years of age, I believe that I have found myself. By serving my community, I have gained the personal insight that I want to continue serving my community, state, and nation for the rest of my life. I have a clear and meaningful purpose after serving in the AmeriCorps program. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to build homes and teach volunteers how to build homes for families that are in need of affordable, stable housing. This coming September I will be attending Hamline University to obtain my Masters in Public Administration. Thanks in large part to my AmeriCorps education award I will be able to afford the continuation of my education.

This past week, a Habitat homeowner from Minneapolis told me that the work Twin Cities Habitat does would not be possible if it were not for Habitat’s AmeriCorps members. Twin Cities Habitat currently staffs 21 full-time AmeriCorps members. This year my fellow AmeriCorps members and I will work with over 20,000 volunteers, will help complete nearly 60 homes, and will repair over 100 homes in the seven-county metro area. In the last nine months, I personally have worked towards rehabbing three foreclosed homes in North Minneapolis and one foreclosed home in Champlin. I’ve also helped with two new construction projects in Brooklyn Park. What excites me most about the work that I am doing with Twin Cities Habitat is the impact my work has on our partner families. Each family will now have a safe, affordable home where their children can live and play.

The AmeriCorps program means a lot of things to a lot of different people. For me, this program is an opportunity to serve my community while gaining meaning and purpose in my life. I am grateful for the lasting friendships and memories that I have gained from serving as an AmeriCorps member.

Christopher Mickelson, Current Twin Cities Habitat AmeriCorps Member