Meeting Nelson
My first interview took place at the Sage Diner in Mt. Laurel. That’s where I first met Nelson. We have one thing in common – we are both Habitat volunteers. His employer gives him and his co-workers the opportunity to get paid to volunteer at Habitat instead of going to their “real job” that day.
As soon as I met Nelson, an employee at Davis Enterprises, I knew that I had met a good man. He’d been working since early that morning and would have a long commute home, but he offered to share his story with me after work. Over tea, toast and soup (I do recommend the split pea soup at the Sage Diner), we talked about Habitat.
Paying It Forward
Working at Habitat has special meaning to Nelson because the daughter of one of his friends was the recipient of a Habitat house many years ago. He feels that volunteering is his way of giving back to Habitat for helping his friend's daughter.
What Does He Do?
I asked Nelson what he and his co-workers actually do to help. It turns out that they handle a variety of things such as:
- Putting up the dry wall and framing the house;
- Replacing broken steps and sidewalks;
- Grading the landscaping;
- Transporting materials to the house; and
- Plumbing.
They get to use cool equipment such as a forklift, a skid steer and a backhoe. Nelson patiently explained to me what a backhoe actually is and didn’t laugh when I asked him if someone like me could operate one at a Habitat site. The answer is no and that’s a good thing! For the record, a backhoe scoops up large piles of dirt and we’ve all seen them on construction sites, regardless of whether we actually know what they’re called. (I’m sure all of you reading this are saying that you already knew what a backhoe is!)
Feeling Rewarded
When I asked Nelson what is the most rewarding thing about working at Habitat, he told me that it is knowing that you’ve improved someone’s life experience by helping them get a house they wouldn’t have been able to get. (Who can argue with that?)
He mentioned that he likes the idea that the families receiving homes have to contribute toward the construction of their house (Habitat calls this “sweat equity” and has detailed requirements that homeowners must meet. For more information, go to The Habitat Website Homepage).
Recognizing Davis Enterprises
Nelson told me that the real hero is his employer - Davis Enterprises. They are paying their employees to make a difference and feel good by volunteering as a team. Even the owner and President of Davis participate. They’ve been doing this for about 5 years. Davis has donated leftover materials from some of their jobs to the ReStore. (I’ll be blogging about the ReStore at a later date). Davis also lets their employees borrow equipment to help Habitat when they’ve wanted to volunteer on their own. It turns out that Nelson and his co-workers got hooked and they actually volunteer on their own time to help Habitat.
Soon it was time to say good-bye. Nelson and I shook hands and agreed that we enjoyed our conversation. Habitat had brought two total strangers together for a common cause.
When I got home, I went right to the computer and Googled “Davis Enterprises.” I was impressed with all of the good things Nelson had to say and I wanted to learn about Davis and recognize them for giving back to the Community. I discovered that they are a major New Jersey developer located in Marlton. Davis develops and manages apartments and has expanded into commercial, industrial, and hotel development. In the future, when I drive by their properties, I will think about the good things Nelson had to say.
What I Learned
I realized after speaking to Nelson, that an employer gives their employees a gift when they unselfishly provide them an opportunity to volunteer and make a difference in the world!
