Sisters combine to build house

If you can hammer a nail, paint a wall or pack a lunch, Habitat for Humanity needs you.

A historic effort is about to take place in the city of Albany: Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist and Catholic groups are each sponsoring the construction of a home through Habitat for Humanity, which builds and rehabilitates homes for low-income families.

One of the four homes will be built by six communities of women religious: the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Sisters of Mercy, Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, Religious of the Sacred Heart, Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, and Carmelite Sisters of the Aged and Infirm.

Cooperation

The Albany Diocese donated the strip of land on View Avenue where the homes will be built. For the home they sponsor, the six religious communities have pledged not only their labor, but also tools, meals and financial support. But in order to make the project succeed, many more volunteers are needed.

"We need skilled framers, roofers, plumbers, insulators, carpenters and painters. But we will find a job for any volunteer," said Sister Mavis Jewell, DC, coordinator of the project.

Women religious will be doing everything from hammering and painting to raking and landscaping. Publicity coordinator Chloe Van Aken told The Evangelist that even senior sisters will be pitching in when construction begins Sept. 20.

"Some of the elderly sisters wanted to be involved," she said, "and their communities will be having them prepare lunches."

Home-owner

The volunteers will be joined by Jamar Farmer, a single mother who will live in the finished home with her sons, Donshmar Koonce, 5, and Farrad Farmer, 2.

Habitat for Humanity requires applicants for one of its homes to contribute hundreds of hours of labor as well as repayment of loans toward the home.

The project, titled "Building on Faith," is far from the first in the Albany Diocese. Last year's idea was a "blitz build" in which more than 200 volunteers built a home in just five days.

But the half-dozen religious communities' banding together to build a home was a "ripple effect," explained Ms. Van Aken. One community realized that they couldn't afford to sponsor a home on their own and invited others to join in -- and the idea grew from there. The sisters also liked the idea of literally building a community.

Neighbors all

"Habitat for Humanity builds lots of houses," she said, "but to have a neighborhood all on one avenue was a great hook for us."

The women religious hope that potential volunteers will realize the critical need for their help in completing this project. They have one simple wish, said Ms. Van Aken: "We'd like to have this house finished so the family can be in there by Christmas."

(To volunteer, call Sister Mavis Jewell, DC, at 462-5593, from 6-10 p.m. Send donations, made out to "Habitat for Humanity -- Religious Communities," to Ronnie Herbst, 30 Ford Ave., Latham, NY 12110.)

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