[Trappe, MD] (December 2021).  Habitat for Humanity Choptank is looking for two energetic and service-oriented individuals to fill their AmeriCorps positions. If you’re interested in personal and professional growth, learning new skills, and community service opportunities, Habitat Choptank and AmeriCorps might be for you.

The Habitat Choptank AmeriCorps positions are full-time, involving 40 hours per week for 10 ½ months. These roles offer a great opportunity to make a lasting impact in the lives of others while investing in your future and building knowledge, skills, and connections. These positions will focus on the home repair, homeowner services, home purchases, and homebuyer aspects of Habitat Choptank.

These positions will build and maintain the pipeline of homeowner and homebuyer families by leading efforts to recruit and educate qualified families for both homeownership and home repair opportunities. These roles involve recruiting homeowner and homebuyer family applicants and serving as their point of contact as they go through the application process. Together with a family selection committee, you will help select homeowner and homebuyer families for a variety of housing projects, including new home construction, repair or rehab of existing homes, and weatherization projects.

Mimi Sanford began her year of service with Habitat Choptank and AmeriCorps after graduating from Brown University in spring 2020. She spends her time with Neighborhood Revitalization Outreach and the Repair Program, working both in the affiliate office and on the repair crew’s job sites. “I am able to participate in many different projects and do a wide variety of work,” says Sanford. “I have learned how to fix a kitchen sink, how to build a new community resource from the ground up, and how to keep children engaged during community events so we can talk to their parents about what Habitat has to offer. While some of these experiences were unexpected—like crawling under a house, for example, or letting little girls braid my hair while their parents learned about sustainable homeownership practices—I have enjoyed every minute of my time at Habitat Choptank.”

Sanford plans to continue her education after her year of service. She is in the process of applying to the University of Maryland’s Master of Community Planning program. While 40% of Habitat for Humanity/AmeriCorps volunteers go on to work with a Habitat affiliate in some capacity after their year of service, others attend graduate school, join the workforce, or seek other service opportunities.

In addition to learning new skills and gaining valuable experience, the AmeriCorps program offers several benefits, including a living allowance of $16,300 for approximately 10 ½ months of service, the Segal Education Award of $6,345 upon successful completion of service, health care benefits and enrollment in the Employee Assistance Plan, personal and medical leave, possible forbearance or deferment of qualified student loans, childcare benefits if applicable, and worker’s compensation insurance.

Applicants must be a US citizen or a national or lawful permanent resident, be 18 or older, and have a high school diploma or GED. For more information, call 410-476-3204, email info@habitatchoptank.org, or visit www.HabitatChoptank.org. To apply, send your resume and cover letter to info@habitatchoptank.org.

About Habitat Choptank

Since 1992, Habitat Choptank has made home ownership possible for 94 families and has completed critical health and safety repairs in partnership with over 263 qualifying homeowners. At present, seven homes are under construction in Dorchester and Talbot Counties. Income qualifying homebuyers are offered access to affordable mortgage financing in order to purchase a new construction or rehabbed home from the nonprofit’s project inventory.  After completing “sweat equity” hours, attending pre-homeownership classes, and meeting debt reduction and savings goals, these individuals and families will purchase homes that they helped construct and assume the full responsibilities of homeownership including maintaining their home, paying property taxes and repaying their mortgage over 30 to 33 years. Habitat accepts applications for its homeownership and repair programs throughout the year.