CWS Identified Internships

Habitat for Humanity NOLA
American Cities Program – New Orleans

Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people from all faiths and walks of life to work together in partnership, building houses with families in need. New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity founded in 1983, is part of a growing Habitat family. NOAHH’s work over the years has resulted in over one hundred homes constructed in the New Orleans Metro area. NOAHH’s work is critical in the wake of hurricane Katrina’s destruction.

Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat builds simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner Partner Families. Habitat houses are sold to Partner Families at no profit, and financed with affordable, no-interest loans. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are recycled into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses.

New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity is managed by a local volunteer board comprised of eminent individuals from different backgrounds. NOAHH also relies on AmeriCorps volunteers to fill positions on the construction site, in the office, and at the Habitat ReStore. An experienced, professional staff manages the day to day office operations and long range strategic planning thus reducing operational costs and freeing resources for direct construction activities.

New Orleans still, and will be recovering, from Hurricane Katrina for many years. This means that life in New Orleans is a challenge. All people living in New Orleans must be resourceful and put extra effort in to completing even the most basic tasks, like grocery shopping.  By living through the hot and humid New Orleans summer our Wellesley College interns will develop a deep sense of the challenges residents face.

Internship Description:

While most American Cities Internship Programs focus on professional development, the New Orleans program focuses on service learning. Interns will learn what it takes to be successful in a struggling non-profit sector, the challenges and rewards of working for a cause, and just how long it takes an area to overcome disaster. Intern tasks at Habitat for Humanity will vary on a daily basis, ad per the needs of the organization, and may include:
Assisting the Construction Administrator with the coordination of logistics for construction (e.g. ordering equipment, tools etc. from Home Depot)
Constructing homes side by side with volunteers and partner families
Assisting the Volunteer Coordinator in volunteer recruitment, coordination, and scheduling
Listening to the Homeowner hotline and sending out applications to applicants
Performing credit checks on application for housing and analyzing credit scores/reports
Sending out acknowledgement letters to individual and company donors
Pulling out city permits for land and working on land title applications
(Wo)manning the front desk, answering phones, guiding visitors, and volunteers

Ideal Internship Qualification: