Olivia Jackson, sophomore early education major, wants to let others know that her experience volunteering for the Mission and Missionary Office program, more commonly known as Habitat for Humanity, is enabling her to better the local communities of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Jackson has been a part of Habitat for Humanity service trips three times, all of which have been inside Pennsylvania. At first, she joined the program to satisfy her two hours of community service hours that freshmen are required to do to pass their First Year Experience (FYE). However, that is not where she acquired the knowledge of Habitat of Humanity. Jackson’s father has  performed service trips with this program through his employment with  Prudential Credential. His job encouraged  employees to go out into the community, so he would assist at soup kitchens, and he enjoyed being a part of it.

“He did it a bunch of times and he always told me about it ,and so I was like, it seems cool you know like I should try it out and I really enjoyed it,” Jackson said.

That’s when she gained the courage to sign up and become part of the volunteers who go out and assist people in the communities around Northeastern Pennsylvania. Her first service trip provided a confidence-building experience.

“It was pouring rain and we were clearing out trash from the yard in the front, and every time we would like to pull like a board off the ground and stuff. They’d be like snakes and bugs coming out from underneath and it was like kind of scary, but we got through it together.”

Jackson said the work also helps her to build skills. She said she learns through the process of watching a home through each construction phase.

“I like getting to see a project like come to fruition like start with just bare bones of a house and build it into somewhere where people can live and build a family, and I think it’s really beautiful.”

Ashe has learned such skills as landscaping, the use of power tools, and moving drywall.

The most important gift, she said, is helping people have someplace to call home.

“The fact that like they have to go through a charity to receive something as simple as housing.”

Jackson encourages other students to get involved, and she insisted that no construction experience is needed. Volunteers are helpful and will guide others through the tasks, building relationships at the same time.

“I’ve definitely got to meet new people and also just like bond with my friends that signed up with me. I think it’s just cool also getting to meet the people who run Habitat and like getting to talk to them and like you know like your stories about the families who are receiving the houses and stuff. So, I’ve definitely built new connections from doing it.”