“Not only did I benefit from this experience, but I felt as if I was bettering my community.”Josh Bentow studies Public Management and Policy at the University of Arizona and will graduate in Spring of 2021. He grew up with a single mother and moved quite frequently due to the rise in rent, so he knows firsthand the burden that the cost of home can have on families.
As a student at the University of Arizona and coming into this internship studying Public Management and Policy, I wanted to see first-hand how nonprofits effectively promote their services. In just the first couple of weeks, I realized quickly that there is a lot of work to be done and not many people to assign tasks to, which results in everyone putting in tons of hard work. This proved beneficial to me because I was given the ability to oversee projects and tasks from start-to-finish. One day I am trimming interviews to make shortened video clips, and next thing I know it I am using those clips to create an entire promotional video.
If you told me six months ago that I would be assisting in monitoring Habitat’s social media pages and creating blog posts that would be uploaded for the world to see, I would have said you were out of your mind.[mk_image src=”https://habitattucson.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/img_2724-scaled.jpg” image_size=”large” title=”Here I am, interviewing a Construction Lead on Habitat’s staff”]Due to COVID-19 and social distancing regulations, this was not the internship anyone had envisioned. Most of the tasks were completed remotely, yet I was still able to gain experience in marketing, meet wonderful people, and learn more about Habitat Tucson.
This being my first internship experience, I had no clue what was in store. However, with the help of the amazing workers and volunteers at Habitat, I have been able to complete tasks I never thought achievable.Along with the technical skills I gained, I had the wonderful opportunity of seeing more of what Habitat Tucson does for the community. I was aware that this organization helps make affordable housing possible, but I was moved by how much they do to help better people’s lives. Not only do they build houses for families in need, but they provide these individuals with the tools and resources they need to succeed. For example, a family partnering with Habitat takes homebuyer educational classes and receives mentors who meet with them regularly and assists them in a variety of ways.
Another aspect of this internship which I will never forget is the kind and caring people I met throughout this experience. One memory that stuck in my brain was when I first stepped foot on a build site. It was at the crack of dawn, and it was so cold that you could see everyone’s breath of air as they exhaled. Regardless of these conditions, the site was filled with dozens of Habitat volunteers who took the time out of their days to come and help build their community. It was beautiful, to say the least.[mk_image src=”https://habitattucson.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/img_2712-scaled.jpg” image_size=”large” title=”Myself, along with another intern, taking photos of a Habitat build site.”]The people I met that day truly inspired me. Each person I talked to had a smile on their face and welcomed me with open arms. Never setting foot on a build site before, I expected to show up and see a bunch of unfriendly, unwelcoming faces. But I was proven wrong almost immediately. People of all ages were helping build and it genuinely looked like an entire community coming together for one common purpose – building affordable homes to change lives.
One statement I can accurately make is that every individual involved with Habitat for Humanity Tucson has a big heart and certainly cares about their community. I am sincerely thankful for this experience and would recommend any person, regardless of age, to become involved with Habitat because it truly is an experience that cannot be recreated.“With the help of the amazing workers and volunteers at Habitat, I have been able to complete tasks I never thought achievable.”Get Involved Today