Volunteer Spotlight: Alpha Phi Omega, Alpha Gamma Gamma Chapter at Hunter College

St. Bernard Project - New York was happy to welcome back one of our repeat volunteer teams, the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity at Hunter College, for another day of service in Rockaway. These New York City-based college students are members of the Alpha Gamma Gamma chapter of APO, a “national co-educational service organization founded on the principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service.” We asked the group members to share some thoughts on their time with SBP so far:

What drew you to serve with St. Bernard Project?

“I volunteered last year and had a great experience!”

“It feels good knowing you can help someone through building a house.”

“A lot of people don’t know that there are still so many displaced homeowners; it’s really nice to help them return home.”

APO at SBP - NY headquarters

Which construction tasks did you do?

“We did some sanding and mudding, this time. Last year, we did a mix of painting, drywall, and insulation.”

What was your favorite part of the volunteer experience?

“I liked picking up new skills.”

“Drilling drywall into the house!”

“Doing service together as brothers!”

How was this volunteer work different from other service experiences you've had?

“It doesn't feel like work. It feels like we were in and out fast and we had a lot of fun!”

“The work was more hands-on.”

“I’d never gotten to ‘mud’ before, so I liked the new experiences.”

“We were given different tasks and didn't get stuck just doing one thing.”

Representatives from APO & SBP - NY

Any advice for future volunteers?

“Come in big numbers; it’s more fun and you can accomplish more together!”

“Get dirty...and dress appropriately!”

“It doesn't feel like work since the time passes quickly. Have fun with it!”

Thanks again for your continued hard work, Alpha Phi Omega: Alpha Gamma Gamma chapter. We hope to see you here in Rockaway again soon!

Volunteer Spotlight: Towson University

St. Bernard Project - New York was pleased to rebuild for several days with students from Towson University, a Baltimore area member of the University of Maryland System. The team of six ventured to Queens as part of their Alternative Break program, which “allows college students to learn about a specific social issue and then perform week-long projects with local non-profit organizations.” We asked the Towson students to share some thoughts on their time with St. Bernard Project.

What drew you to serve with St. Bernard Project?

“I was interested in Sandy relief because I’m from the [New York] area, but felt helpless being in Maryland during and after the storm.”

“I didn’t get to volunteer as much as I wanted to during the school year, and I wanted to make an impact outside of campus and branch out into the world; Alternative Break is a good time to do that!”

“My friends had volunteered in New Jersey before! I’d also read in an article that there was still much work to be done.”

Towson's Alternative Break group

Which construction tasks did you do?

Drywall and mudding!

What was your favorite part of the volunteer experience?

“I liked seeing everything come together and seeing the space change in the time we were here.”

“Finding hidden talents!”

“I really enjoyed seeing the local area and hearing stories about homeowners, the ongoing building in the neighborhood, etc.”

“Bonding as a team!”

How was this volunteer work different from other service experiences you've had?

“I’ve never done construction or gone out of state to volunteer before.”

“I’d done a lot of demo, so it was nice to do construction and see it moving in a positive direction.”

“The Site Supervisors served us tea!”

“Girl power!”

“It was nice to have the Site Supervisors on-site with us the whole time.”

Towson and SBP - NY Site Supervisors

Any advice for future volunteers?

“Whatever time you can give is helpful. Stay safe; ask questions if you need to.”

“Measure twice, cut once!”

“There’s no such thing as a straight line!”

Thanks for all your hard work, Towson University; we hope to see you out here in the Rockaways again soon!