Staff members from Expeditionary Strike Group 3 volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in San Diego, April 8.

Habitat for Humanity's vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Its mission is to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope.

While the most popular program of Habitat for Humanity is building new homes for families, there are other Habitat for Humanity programs that help out local communities as well. ESG 3 staff volunteered in the neighborhood revitalization program, which focuses on home preservation and critical home repair.

"The volunteers that we get are the backbone of this organization," said James Cyr, Habitat for Humanity employee. "Without them we couldn't exist."

ESG 3 staff members cleared overgrown vegetation, removed glass panels that were a safety hazard and readied the outside of the house for painting.

"This was rewarding for me because we got to help a widowed woman who was living alone," said Yeoman 3rd Class K'Loni Mitchell, an ESG 3 staff member who volunteered at the event. "Even though her house wasn't in the best shape she still had a lot of pride in it. She was elderly, but she still made an effort to lend a helping hand when she could. [It was fulfilling] to share this experience with [12 of] my fellow shipmates."

Habitat for Humanity has over 90,000 volunteers, and the neighborhood revitalization program has more than 1,800 volunteers.

According to Habitat for Humanity about 40 percent of the volunteers who work with the neighborhood revitalization program are active duty service members or veterans.

"I think that it is important for Sailors to volunteer because it builds character and humility, you learn new skills and it can even help you in advancing your career," said Mitchell. "It opens your eyes to new experiences, and you become aware that people right in your own community are dealing with different struggles in life and you get to be a big part in helping to change that. Helping out with the smallest tasks can make a huge impact in people's lives."

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