Amelia Martin is already planning how she'll decorate her new home, but first she'll have to finish building it.
Through Housing Hope, Martin and future neighbors are putting in sweat equity to build the homes they will soon own on West Main Street in Monroe.
"I've never had any experience in building anything,GÇ¥ Martin said. "I like these kinds of jobs, where you learn new things.GÇ¥
Joining in the effort to complete two triplexes on Friday were 20 volunteers from the Everett Clinic, which was one of 38 teams serving with 19 different nonprofits for the United Way of Snohomish County's Days of Caring, the organization's largest volunteer event of the year.
"Twenty of us get to come and do this, and get away from our regular paper pushing,GÇ¥ said Elise Davidson, an Everett Clinic employee. "There's a lot when it comes to building a house.GÇ¥
Housing Hope typically constructs single-family homes, but the nonprofit chose to construct triplexes at the Monroe site, to create more housing for its Team HomeBuilding participants.
While this type of construction project is more complicated than a single-family residence, volunteers have Housing Hope construction supervisor Lewis Pounds guiding them every step of the way.
"It's really a complicated project,GÇ¥ Pounds said, "and they're taking to it with great strides.GÇ¥
The construction supervisor said 5-10 family members who will later occupy the residences have been working on the project site weekly since framing started in late May.
"It's the process of starting from square one,GÇ¥ he said.
It was also square one for Jeanne Killgore, a human resources assistant at the Everett Clinic who had wanted to work with Housing Hope for a while.
"This is actually my first year,GÇ¥ she said. "I'm taking over for a coworker who ran out of time to do it.GÇ¥
More than 500 volunteers will participate-áin Days of Caring on Friday and Saturday, tackling 28 projects throughout the county that were selected by the United Way, which had a number of its own staff out volunteering.
"It's amazing to see all of these volunteers come out to support, not only Days of Caring, but the community,GÇ¥ said Vicki Von Stubbe, a United Way of Snohomish County employee who worked at the Monroe Housing Hope site on Friday. "I think this large a group can really make a difference in one day.GÇ¥
While there is still much work to be done before her home is complete, Martin said she's enjoyed doing the work with her future neighbors.
"It's nice getting to know your neighbors, definitely,GÇ¥ she said. "It's a different bond you'll get to have.GÇ¥
View a slideshow of the Days of Caring work for Housing Hope here.Amelia Martin, left, works on weatherproofing one of two triplexes on West Main Street in Monroe during the United Way of Snohomish County's Days of Caring on Friday. Martin will eventually live in one of the residences through Housing Hope's Team HomeBuilding program.Housing Hope construction supervisor Lewis Pounds shows Martin and volunteers how to put on a safety harness.
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