Bear Build
In light of recent economic turmoil, the need for affordable housing and the fight to end poverty is of dire importance. For Bear Build 2009, Public Affairs Week will partner with Habitat for Humanity to build an energy-efficient house for a family in need in Springfield. As part of their ReHabitat project, we will deconstruct an old, unlivable house and reconstruct it into a new, livable home. In doing so, we will be creating an economic reality for a family in need. We will also be providing our campus and local community with an opportunity to learn practical housing tips and increase awareness on poverty issues. In turn, we will be able to educate Springfield residents on the importance of being engaged in their community.
The house will be built over two semesters, in order to give students a greater opportunity to get involved, in order to allow adequate time for fundraising, and in order to effectively educate our campus and community on the ideals of affordable housing. Thus, Monday September 14 will serve as the "kick-off" to both Public Affairs Week and our Bear Build project. The construction of the house will continue until the 2010 Public Affairs Conference in April of 2010, at which point, the dedication of the house could serve as the Conference's kick-off event.
Benefits of serving on the Community Engagement Committee
The benefits of assisting Bear Build include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Opportunities for networking
- A chance to participate in a campus-wide event
- Name advertisement for your organization
- Resume building
- A chance to give back to your community
Overview of Commitment
Your level of commitment will be based on your needs and the needs of our deadlines. For student organizations, we would like for you to appoint one member to serve as a liaison between your group and the committee planning this event. This committee will meet a few times before the end of this Spring semester, a few times over the summer (and a lot of coordination via e-mail) and more frequently in the weeks leading up to Public Affairs Week. Your organization’s commitment could possibly include, but is not limited to, the following:
- Fundraising for the house (e.g., your organization could volunteer to get/raise funds for the cabinets in the house)
- Creating/purchasing a gift to donate to the family (e.g., create an art piece)
- Advocating for affordable housing and the fight to end poverty (e.g., distribute flyers on campus)
- Planning the construction of the house (Habitat for Humanity will mainly oversee this portion)
- Coordinating a related-event (e.g., host a SleepOut for the Homeless to raise funds and awareness… get creative… the sky’s the limit!)
I am currently contacting student organizations to assist with this event. If are interested in having your organization get involved, please e-mail paw@missouirstate.edu with the subject line BEAR BUILD no later than April 31 at 5 p.m. The entire CEC will then meet to further discuss details of involvement. Should you have any questions/concerns/ideas before then, don’t hesitate to e-mail Rachel1027@missouristate.edu or call 636-222-0300 to set up a time to meet with Rachel in person.