Since 2018, Mardee has volunteered with Habitat Philippines to bring that vision of a world where everyone — families like hers, their neighbors and residents everywhere — can benefit from the stable foundation that solid homes and communities provide, especially in the face of disaster.

Recognizing the unique community insights and leadership potential of young people like Mardee, Habitat for Humanity International and the International Federation of the Red Cross created a youth-oriented training on Participatory Approach to Safe Shelter and Settlements Awareness — a hands-on method of disaster risk reduction related to shelter safety.  The training helps these emerging leaders hone their technical and management skills as they work to help reduce shelter-related risks in their low-income neighborhoods.

Trainees receive specialized support from mentors and facilitators and technological resources to analyze, learn, raise awareness, plan and develop improved living conditions and disaster-resilient communities. “I learned a lot in the training,” says Mardee. “It also boosted my confidence to do what needed to be done.”

Armed with her new knowledge and resources, Mardee led a group of 20 youth in identifying vulnerabilities to natural disasters in their flood-prone community of Navotas. Together, they drafted a community development plan and implemented waste management projects — including organizing weekly community clean-ups, establishing recycling collection facilities and hosting educational seminars — to help reduce blockage, improve drainage and alleviate the impacts of regularly occurring floods.

Amidst a different type of disaster — COVID-19 — Mardee led the group in distributing hygiene kits, launched a community pantry and helped organize workforce development trainings to further build the resilience of their hometown. And through partnerships with local government agencies, the crew was able to expand the reach and impact of each program.

“For solving waste management issues, initially we went door to door, but that did not work out well. Then we strategized to collaborate with local government. That changed everything,” Mardee explained during a session on youth-led solutions on housing and housing-adjacent issues at Habitat’s annual Asia-Pacific Housing Forum. At first, she admitted, it was a challenge to convince the government to listen and support these young voices.

“Initially, they refused our projects,” she said. “But we never gave up. We always remember that we are youth. We have the power to change anything.”

An inclusive approach

In 2016, going into her junior year of university, Kirby’s advocacy efforts were formally recognized with her appointment as a youth representative to the advocacy committee of Habitat’s U.S. Council. Habitat for Humanity International’s board of directors established the council to serve as a planning and policy-recommending body guiding the growth of our work in the U.S.

By bringing her experience in youth engagement to the committee, Kirby helped ensure that Habitat’s local, state and federal advocacy initiatives — including the national Cost of Home campaign — would reach and mobilize housing champions of all ages and backgrounds.

“With policy, we want to make sure it scoops up everyone — especially those with marginal identities regarding age, race, class, ability. Because if we make sure everyone is included, everyone is built up,” Kirby says. “The same goes for the internal work, the advocacy work. Who are we inviting to the table?”

Addressing who decides what the policy focus should be in the first place, who drafts the language, and who is brought into policymakers’ offices to advocate for it all impact how policy, once implemented, actually affects communities, she explains. “Renewing our internal focus on equity, diversity and inclusion affects the work that we put out,” she says. “By interrogating ourselves and our organizational practices, it enables us to serve our mission better and carry out work that is responsive to and indicative of the needs of the nation and the globe.”

“A never-ending process”

Kirby’s skills and passion for advocacy and inclusive teambuilding, honed during her volunteer assignments with Habitat, have helped guide her career as an equity, diversity and inclusion manager at a nonprofit global health organization. In turn, her professional experience and insights into the fields of global health and social justice — especially as they intersect with housing — have benefited the teams and committees she has served on.

“My time with Habitat has been a back and forth journey, always building off of itself,” Kirby says. “In the future, I want to continue to mirror these lessons, gaining new ones and reflecting them in new ways. A never-ending process of learning and growing.”

Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity  

Alfred is an avid cook who loves to entertain friends and family in his home. But radiation therapy has left the 77-year-old so fatigued that he has trouble getting around his house on his own. Determined to heal from his medical treatments in the security of his own home, Alfred needed adjustments to make the house safe and accessible.

After partnering with Columbus Area Habitat for Humanity, Alfred now has sturdy new railings to help him get inside his house safely, as well as grab bars in the shower, a taller toilet and user-friendly faucet handles. He’s especially excited about the no-trip, smooth-surface flooring in his dining room, which allows him to safely serve family and friends home-cooked meals. “It’s 100% better,” says Alfred, who shares that his well-being has improved tremendously since these much-needed updates. 

Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County        

At age 70, Linda hasn’t slowed down. The resident of Florida’s Palm Beach County supplements her social security income by selling homemade baked goods and babysitting her great granddaughter. However, she sustained serious injuries in an equestrian accident including the loss of an eye, and needed changes in her home to accommodate her needs during recovery and into the future.

Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County was able to help Linda make critical updates, including a low-lip, step-in shower, reinforced flooring and modified faucet handles. These improvements have helped Linda’s healing process and her desire to safely remain in her home for the rest of her life.

Linda says she is “crying happy” at the results and loves to share her story of partnering with Habitat with anyone willing to listen. Up next on the active septuagenarian’s list: volunteering in Habitat Palm Beach County’s ReStore or office.

In what ways do you hope your recent record-breaking gift will inspire others to get involved?

In the past, when our company has raised funds for our local community, it helped increase awareness of important issues and motivated others to give in greater numbers. I thought, “I’m going to try to raise the town’s aspirations to get them to be involved.”  I saw how that worked locally, and I knew that it could be done on a larger scale.

I believe we must all work together to increase access to affordable housing, which affects people all across the country and the world. My hope is that our gift will inspire more people to give to Habitat, whether that’s previous donors who might consider making a larger gift or first-time donors.

How does it make you feel when you see the impact of your gifts to Habitat and how you have helped families achieve strength and stability through better shelter? 

I think it really comes down to when you see the individuals get their keys. I think that’s the part that really says they’re going to have a different, transformative life from now on. And that’s the part that really drives it home for me.

Why do you think it’s important to donate?

I think my father was a pretty good example. One of his businesses was a grocery store, and he helped about 20 to 30 families all the way through the Great Depression. He taught the way he lived. We learned from his example that we should share the things that we’ve been given.

If your great-grandchildren were reading this interview 15 years from now, what you would want them to hear from you?

I’ve just been asked by my children and grandkids to write something down about what kind of a good life I’ve had. And so I sent them an extensive letter telling them what I did and that I thought they could be able to do it, too. For instance, they can tithe as they see fit to help other people. It doesn’t necessarily have to be to a church, but it could be an organization the church helps, for instance, like Habitat. And they can also tithe their time, volunteering for Habitat. I wrote about how it makes you feel good when you share your good fortune with other people. I think that holds true for my family and anyone else who wants to make a difference in the lives of others.