Saint Mary's Students to Work at Four Houses for Rebuilding Together
About 75 Saint Mary's students will volunteer at four houses
at this year's Rebuilding Together event.Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary’s College
(574) 284-4579
April 9, 2015 (Notre Dame, Ind.)— On Saturday, April 11, Saint Mary's College students will participate in Rebuilding Together, a community-driven effort to rehabilitate homes in South Bend. This year is the 10th consecutive year the College has been involved in the program.
More than 75 Saint Mary’s students will be stationed at four houses in the Olive Street/Lincoln Way West neighborhoods to complete tasks such as painting, cleaning, raking, and planting at a home sponsored by the College. The home receiving the most extensive work is 3018 Greene Street, where 25 students will be stationed.
As a whole, Rebuilding Together volunteers will rehabilitate 15 homes in the neighborhoods. The St. Joseph County Rebuilding Together chapter was established in 1989. In South Bend, the project focuses on a different neighborhood each year and has improved about 700 homes since the program was started. Rebuilding Together is a national program that restores homes throughout the country. Through an application and screening process, Rebuilding Together selects houses to fix up that belong to elderly, disabled, or low-income residents.
“Rebuilding Together is a wonderful opportunity for volunteers to make an immediate change in the lives of community members. By donating time and skills, volunteers not only make a difference in the home itself, but they also learn how to collaborate with others and give of themselves in the process,” said Erika Buhring, director of the Office for Civic and Social Engagement.
Work on the Saint Mary’s homes will begin at about 9 a.m. and end around 3 p.m. In addition to Saint Mary’s representatives, volunteers at the 15 homes include representatives from schools, businesses, and other service groups. Skilled laborers such as plumbers and roofers also contribute their time and effort to the project.
Rebuilding Together has become a part of the student service experience at Saint Mary’s College, where nearly 90 percent of students participate in service. It is through service events, like Rebuilding Together, that students have the opportunity to connect with those in the community in very real and tangible ways.
“Service provides a chance for Saint Mary's volunteers to connect with each other in a meaningful way, as well as other participants from the city as everyone works together to achieve a common goal,” Buhring said.
OCSE is Saint Mary’s College’s resource center providing information on community service, one-time volunteer events, service-learning, and special speakers and events relating to community engagement.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. By the fall of 2015 Saint Mary’s College will offer two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a Doctorate. All programs that fall under these degrees are co-educational and include a Master of Science in Data Science, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College’s mission is to educate students, develop their talents, and prepare them to make a difference in the world. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 published by U.S. News & World Report.