With housing prices and rents at record levels, purchasing a home today is increasingly beyond the reach of most people, especially for low-income families living on both coasts where prices are at record levels. A small effort to help two lucky families was made by four Orange County volunteers, who assisted others in a Habitat for Humanity project to help build two homes for families needing better housing.
The event was coordinated by Seema Ali, founder of the Interfaith Task Force in Los Angeles. It was established to encourage various faith communities and social service organizations to build relationships, share resources, leverage technology, identify needs and gaps in the community, and create programs to serve those needs.
Says Seema: "Volunteers from the Sunni, and Shia communities of Ithna'Asheris, Dawoodi Bohras and Ismailis came together to build a Habitat for Humanity home in Santa Ana. It was an incredibly gratifying experience, marking a significant milestone as the first Muslim Build Day at Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. Our collective efforts not only had a positive impact but also brought immense joy and fulfillment to our hearts. We hope to have the opportunity to return and volunteer again.”
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On that cool and cloudy Saturday morning, the Reshamwalla family, led by the father Naushad, volunteered to join others in painting, measuring, adding siding, and in other chores required to help the project towards completion. That Naushad managed to convince his teenage children, Caleb, Kaden, and Aliza, to wake up early to learn some building skills for a good cause was a feat in itself.
Naushad felt that the day presented “…an extraordinary occasion to build homes but also bridges, connecting the diverse Muslim community. I feel immensely grateful that my children had the chance to partake in this rewarding experience and served as a reminder of the privileges and blessings in our own lives."
Daughter Aliza remarked that the day was “…an extremely rewarding experience to witness the impact of our collective efforts and know we are making a difference in people's lives."
The Reshamwallas were joined by a few Habitat staff who supervised the other volunteers. Many present acknowledged that service to those in need is an obligation of their faith, and all were grateful to be able to participate in the project.
Micheal Oliver, a Habitat volunteer for Inventory Control and Hospitality, said that "Habitat for Humanity Orange County builds more than houses; it creates stable foundations for families to excel and makes the “California dream” of homeownership a reality."
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Some Habitat volunteers have worked on such projects for many years and were pleased at the involvement of several Muslim groups for the first time. It was evident that the ethics of Islam and the importance of serving others are shared by the faiths and traditions represented there, and this may be the inception of further such collaboration in the future.
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization that provides training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. It believes that everyone should live in dignity and safety and that decent shelter should be a matter of conscience and action for all.
The properties were owned by the County, and the land was donated to Habitat, so the building price will not contain any cost for the land. Because the properties are in a historic district, they have to be built according to standards in place over a half-century ago to blend with the neighborhood, including the use of wood window frames. Families interested in purchasing one of the properties can apply to Habitat, and based on need, two lucky families will be selected.
