Ramping Up the Neighborhood by Peggy Fowler The Neighborhood Revitalization (NR) Department manages two programs: Community Development and Home Improvements. COVID-19 has not stopped department operations except for our ability to work personally with neighborhood associations and volunteers. This diminishes our ability to engage in community-building projects and, to a lesser extent, with administering home improvement projects. The community development aspects of the NR Department have been affected due to safe social distancing and the inability to work with volunteer groups. Community cleanups (Rock-the-Block), A Brush With Kindness (ABWK) exterior home painting projects, and other neighborhood enhancement activities have been postponed, as well as plans for residential leadership training courses. The Home Improvements program has experienced delays in processing and scheduling home repairs (i.e. siding, roofing, code enforcement issues, etc.); however, the handicapped accessible ramp-building program has not been affected. The accessibility ramp-building program has been able to progress “normally,” and we have extended and expanded our ongoing ramp partnership with Escambia County initiated in early 2019 as a pilot. This
pensacolahabitat.org/neighborhood-revitalization
Anticipating Your Return
Before COVID-19, the Community Engagement department was steadily
partnership has the County supplying funds for ramp building materials and Pensacola Habitat providing the labor to construct the ramps – either paid contractors and/or, when safe, volunteers. Accessible ramps are typically an emergency need, so we are excited to continue building ramps during COVID-19 and trying to keep up with the demand for these facilities.
Two volunteers helping during Build-a-Thon in 2013
by Imani Davis
COVID-19 has been quite an adjustment from life as we knew it, to our new normal. Initially, this was a challenge before realizing releasing former ideals and routines could make this transition an optimistic one. We can do this by taking time to step back and to plan how to move forward positively in our community. The pandemic’s forced pause on our old life has also caused us to be more considerate of our neighbors’ and our own personal health.
A ramp build recipient in Montclair
planning our annual community events such as Collegiate Challenge, the Pensacola Food Truck Festival, and Faith Build and fulfilling our day-to-day office tasks. My job, Volunteer Services Coordinator, revolves around volunteers; therefore, I was actively engaging and coordinating volunteers for our events, construction, ReStore, and office volunteer opportunities. Once the outbreak reached the US and the stay-at-home orders were issued, the rest of Collegiate Challenge was cancelled along with the impending Faith Build week in May. Along with the postponement of the Pensacola Food
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Truck Festival and our worksite closures, which are all volunteer-driven opportunities, volunteer services have slowed down. We continue to meet regularly as a department via online and uplift each other and our community through kind words. During this time, we are actively communicating with our volunteers about the affiliate’s updates and keeping records of newly interested volunteers as we await their return. Email volunteer@pensacolahabitat.org if you’d like to be a part of that new list!
