Tab Maier fundraising for Costa Rica-Habitat Pinellas Team
Tab Maier
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From Tab Maier
I am fundraising for the trip of a lifetime! I will be joining Habitat Pinellas on a week-long build in beautiful Costa Rica!
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About Me
What to say... What to say... My name is Tab, I live in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida and I cannot wait to go on this trip! If you know me - which is highly likely since you're accessing my fundraising page - you know I've been living in St. Pete for the last three years. It took me a little while to get comfortable here, but I've been able to settle in, make myself some friends and find a couple of cool new hobbies. One of the things I enjoy doing most is volunteering. Life has been good to me and it makes me happy to give back! Through work and social networking sites, I've found many opportunities to participate in environmental clean-ups, sort donations at local food pantries, and serve meals to the homeless. I even took a "Spring Break" trip to Franklin, Tennessee where we spent almost a week planting community gardens and hanging out at a local Boys & Girls club! ...But back to Habitat... Earlier this summer, a fellow employee organized two trips to a local Habitat build site and I was lucky enough to get to participate. The day was hot and humid and the work was hard, but we had a great time working for a great cause! One of the things I enjoyed most about that experience was how the Habitat employees educated the volunteers on what it takes to become a Habitat home owner. We learned about the application process and the educational programs people must participate in to own Habitat homes. We also learned that people must put in a significant amount of "sweat equity" hours in order to own a Habitat home. I gained a new respect for Habitat because I learned that not only do they provide beautiful homes for those in need, they also set people up with the skills and knowledge to be successful homeowners. I left the build site excited about the work we'd completed and eager about my next chance to work on a Habitat home. As fate would have it, a few days later I received an email about the Global Village Build in Costa Rica and...here we are! At my fundraising page!
More Info
With its pristine beaches, active volcanoes and exotic jungles, Costa Rica has become a popular destination for adventure-seeking tourists. But hidden beyond the resorts and popular sightseeing spots is a country with significant housing needs and a lack of quality social services.
Studies have shown that an estimated 700,000 people in Costa Rica live in poverty and more than 222,000 live in extreme poverty.Habitat for Humanity began operations in Costa Rica in 1988, building 50 houses in its first three years. Today, more than 1,000 homes have been built with the support of government, international churches, local businesses and Habitat affiliates.
Beyond building houses, Habitat Costa Rica focuses on ways to reach families that have even fewer resources through initiatives such as “progressive” housing, home rehabilitations, technical support, financial education, and microenterprise for female heads of household.
Global Village is Habitat for Humanity’s international volunteer program. Teams travel to over 40 countries to work alongside communities, build housing solutions, and experience local culture. Our goal is to change the lives of the people we serve, as well as the lives of the volunteers.
To join a team or learn more, visit www.habitat.org/gv.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 1,300 communities throughout the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.
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