2024-10-17 “Stretched Too Far” for Shay (born 2001)

Shay had reached the address where her next project would take place. It was the home of a man, 57, and his wife, 54. A recent storm had fallen a branch on the roof. Water damage had followed, and would continue to follow; the Insurance deductible was, for them, prohibitive. The unrepaired damage to the roof would lead to more and more damage. Wet walls could become habitat for mold. Mildew.

The family living there clearly fit the ALICE profile: “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed”—people with jobs, but who still need help. The husband had become injured on the job at a young age. He worked after that for the last 17 years as the custodian at a church. The wife had been a cashier at a grocery until COVID led to layoffs and self-checkers took over. She worked nights as a hostess at Danny’s Diner.

Habitat Housing—Shay—had arranged with a roofing company to come in and, with the help of an army of volunteers, repair the roof for the amount the Insurance company would pay; the volunteers would make up the difference. In the second phase, volunteers would tackle the water damage. A whole lot of walls would be ripped down to the studs, then sheetrock would go up. Floor damage would be repaired. Paint would go on.

Shay was lobbying with a carpet company to make a big donation and follow the painters. She was tempted to just pay them to put in new carpet, but her personal assets, vast in the view of most people, would eventually be exhausted to the seemingly endless needs she uncovered each day. She tried to reserve paying for things out of her own wealth for times when no other option existed.

In the big scheme, basic math would prevail. A hundred people giving a few hours on a Saturday, repeated week after week, month after month, year after year, would outlast anyone’s individual capital.

On this job, pressed by time as the winter weather loomed, she had paid a deposit to the roofing company to guarantee the job would get started. They had assured her a refund when the Insurance company paid for the job.

Shay was happy with what she could do for others. Her job at Habitat Housing was very satisfying.

But she also knew that there were many such organizations in the world. One was a well-known international housing agency with a similar name that had offices world-wide. It operated similarly in community after community. Shay thought it was great that they did elsewhere what the agency she worked for did there in New York.

Her thoughts drifted to wondering why more people didn’t help out when they could. She knew not everyone had time to donate weekly. But she believed most people could give a morning on some Saturday every few months. If 9 million people gave three Saturdays a year… 

Shay took one more look at the house before heading back to the office. She didn’t see the walls, windows, and doors. She saw the people who called it their home.