IU freshman Leila Firdaus had never used a drill. But within the span of four days working with Habitat for Humanity, not only did she learn how to use a drill, but she also built a 40-foot ramp out of wood.
Firdaus was one of six students from the THRIVE Living Learning Center that traveled to Johns Island, South Carolina, during spring break to build an accessibility ramp for an elderly couple.
IU offers 10 LLCs on campus, each one providing a specialized housing community typically for first-year students. Each LLC is a residential academic program that groups students based on shared interests or academic goals.
Located in Forest Quadrangle, the THRIVE LLC is sponsored by the School of Public Health and focuses on fostering holistic well-being. Each year, residents have multiple opportunities to work with Habitat for Humanity, including a spring break trip out of state.
Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization that provides help for families in need of “decent and affordable housing,” according to its website. This year, the THRIVE LLC took part in its Critical Home Repair Programming, a project focused specifically on helping low-income homeowners address critical health and safety issues in their home.
In South Carolina, the group of students were introduced to an elderly couple whose daughter had just moved in with them to be a full-time caregiver.
“They actually had nurses coming in because her parents could not leave the house,” director of the THRIVE LLC, Danielle Doyle, said. “The son-in-law would have to literally carry grandma out of their porch because she could not make it down the stairs. We built a ramp for them, and they can now leave their home.”
With the help of Doyle and two Habitat for Humanity volunteers, the students spent one day learning the ropes and the next three days building an accessibility ramp to get in and out of the home.
“All the houses are elevated in South Carolina because it floods, so we built a 40-foot ramp,” Firdaus said. “We started from scratch, like we cut up all the wood to build the ramp.”
During the building process, the team got to know the family they were helping.
“The daughter made us brownies, she got us lunch and she was there every single day,” Doyle said. “We got to meet grandpa and grandma, and I think for myself and for my students, seeing that direct immediate impact because of the work we’ve done hit a little differently.”
Freshman Kara Bennett, the opportunity to build an accessibility ramp hit close to home.
“The build was–– it sounds cliché, but it was almost life changing,” Bennett said. “I had an aunt who’s actually paralyzed, and she had a ramp at her old house. Just knowing that not everybody has an accessible way to get out of their house was sad to me.”
According to studies by Fair Housing Center for Rights and Research, 6.8 million households in the U.S. experience accessibility challenges in their homes. Habitat for Humanity is working to lower that number, and in 2023, it helped more than 13.4 million people build or improve their housing situation.
“When you look at the research, you can see how impactful having a stable and reliable home is to almost every aspect of wellbeing,” Doyle said.
The THRIVE LLC has the opportunity each fall and spring to work with the Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Monroe County. The building will happen at the start of National Public Health week and the LLC is planning on collaborating with faculty and grad students from the School of Public Health.
The experience Bennett and Firdaus had on the Johns Island trip motivated them to sign up for this upcoming project.
“I did a lot more than I thought, I learned a lot and I had a good time with my peers, so I am going to do it again,” Firdaus said.
Additionally, Doyle received confirmation that next year’s THRIVE LLC residents will have the opportunity to travel to Johns Island next spring to take part in the Critical Home Repair Programming again.
“One of the most fulfilling things about being the director of this program is being able to watch my students grow and evolve as humans and become more self-assured of who they are as individuals,” Doyle said. “There was something about the camaraderie of building this ramp that really fast tracks that kind of self-confidence.”
