On Friday, December 16th, four members of Occupy Asheville (Inna Zhuravlёva, Mike Goodman, Davyne Dial, and Tom Adams) participated in what we hope is the first of many Occupy Asheville volunteer days. As part of Habitat for Humanity’s “Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative”, which provides low-income residents with interest-free loans for weatherization and home improvement projects completed by volunteers, we set out on an overcast morning to help a local Buncombe county family make improvements to their mobile home.

According to Ariane Kjellquist, Communications Director at the Asheville Habitat for Humanity, “to help more families in need of decent housing and to respond to a community need, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity introduced the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI). Repairing homes and revitalizing neighborhoods is tangible, and it’s rewarding for volunteers.” Event organizer Tom Adams also commented: “While the Occupy movement has been extremely successful in raising awareness about the deep systemic problems in our current economic and political systems, I think it’s also important that we simultaneously focus on doing what we can to help solve real problems in our own communities. Safe, secure housing is a basic human need, and we are happy to support Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to provide affordable home improvements for some low-income members of the ninety-nine percent.”

Although we were eventually rained out, we did manage to help repair the wheelchair ramp and install the front porch rails before Rob, Habitat for Humanity’s foreman, decided to call it a day.

Two other OA members, Moksha Gita and Kayvon Kazemini, pitched in on another rainy day the following week and provided some much-needed assistance with the weatherization project in rural Buncombe county.

Stay tuned for upcoming volunteer opportunities with Occupy Asheville. For more information on Asheville Habitat for Humanity’s Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, visit this web site: http://www.ashevillehabitat.org/housing_services/neighborhood_revitalization