I'm Dr. Gillian Friedman, managing health editor of Ability Magazine, a leading
publication addressing health, disability and human potential.
And I'm Max Gail, a subscriber and sometimes contributor to Ability Magazine.
I also volunteer as a director for Ability Awareness, a non-profit organisation that
is partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build accessible homes and to build
awareness of the value of volunteering for people with disabilities.
And I've been a volunteer on the Ability House project a number of times, going
back to the first one in Birmingham, Alabama back in 1999.
Today there are 56 million people with mental or physical disabilities in America.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has identified people with
disabilities as one of the principle populations experiencing worst-case
housing needs. Ability Awareness and Habitat for Humanity address this need
through the Ability House project.
Now there are two features that make the Ability House project really unique, the
first is that the program endorses universal design - that's the strategy for
building environments that can be visited by people of all ages and all abilities.
And the second, it specifically seeks to involve volunteers with disabilities in all phases
of construction. You know, to see or work with people with disabilities actually
building a house, well that'll wipe out all the stereotypes and myths you might
have about people with disabilities. And it helps those volunteers to explore
and to demonstrate their abilities.
The adage "it's better to give than to receive" is born out in health studies
showing that emotional wellbeing, physical health and mental sharpness improve when
people join activities where they can give and receive encouragement and learn new
skills.
I'll attest to that. Anyway, the following presentation was shot at an Ability house
built in Baltimore, Maryland. This was documented by the Good Life Television
Network for an episode of their series 'Volunteers for the Sake of Others'.
I think you'll enjoy it.
So many people wonder how a blind person can build a house or how a person who uses
a wheelchair can come and build a house.
Volunteers, many with disabilities and little knowledge of construction have set
out to try and build a house in just eight days.
Most of them have never done any kind of construction work.
NARRATOR: Will wet weather dampen their spirits?
We would rather have better weather but we've got a schedule to keep.
NARRATOR: It will take all of the volunteers working together to complete
this house on time.
Everyone can come out and pick up a hammer and we're all on equal ground.
Welcome to Good Life TV Network's 'Volunteers for the Sake of Others'.
I'm Doris McMillan. People with disabilities are often
marginalised by society. An impairment is often seen as being a major obstacle to living a
normal life. Ability Awareness, a non-profit organisation combats this
misconception by recruiting people who have disabilities to help construct homes,
often for people who themselves have a disability.
This time-honoured tradition of volunteering allows those with
disabilities to help someone in need.
The Ability house project is a hallmark program of Ability Awareness and was
basically started to increase awareness around the issues surrounding people with
disabilities, to really bring people with disabilities out and show the community
their true skills and their talents, and
their potential as volunteers, as mentors and as employees.
Volunteering benefits the provider of service, perhaps as much as it does the
recipient of service, and so when you have someone who is commonly thought of as in
need, there is a therapeutic benefit to be derived when those individuals can in
fact be the providers of service.
Here, Ability teams with the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity to build a house
with a few special features.
The Ability House is an accessibly designed home, built for someone with a disability
by volunteers, many of whom also have disabilities.
VOLUNTEER: Ready? One, two, three!
The concept of universal design which means people who have physical impairments
are able to get in or out of it with no barriers, and so I think this is a
worthwhile project.
It's a big stigma that blind people have to sit and they can't do things and we see
a lot of people that come through our program that have had people take care of
them their whole lives and there's no reason for that really.
So often people with disabilities, they aren't looked to as volunteers, and every
single person has his or her individual level of ability, and so it's just really
a matter of finding out what that is and utilising them to their fullest potential.
MAN: Here now, feel that, see what we're gonna do?
Red hats, experienced volunteers, work on securing the roof while a group of blind
volunteers help with the house's exterior.
I was given four individuals, and I took them aside, gave them a quick lesson on
how to operate a screw gun, all I had to do was point to where the screw needed to
go in, I'd say "follow my finger", they'd find my fingertip, put the screw there and
screw it in.
Something really clicked with Fred. He was there working with the volunteers
patiently working with each one. And he was giving of himself and he really sensed
what this is all about.
I was totally amazed and impressed. To call them disabled is no longer
adequate. They are definitely able-bodied with a minor inconvenience.
Tom Owens has been blind since the age of 11, but involved in carpentry all his life.
Technically I've been doing this stuff since I was about 3. I started working
with my father when I was 3 years old, everybody in my family has some kind of
trade type skill. And Romney's a great partner. (Laughs) She likes high places.
I think these guys are doing a great job.
It's great to come out here and see people from all walks of life.
And I'm real happy to be a part of it.
Tom's an amazing role model for the blindness community,
just to show that you really can do anything that you want to do.
And there's no reason that you can't.
You can do anything but drive a car is what we like to say.
(Narrator) 60-year-old John Randall had a stroke 11 years ago.
He now has left-side hemiparesis, and lacks the use of his left arm and leg.
I need accessibility everywhere I go.
So anything I can help someone, that's automatic with me.
(Narrator) A self-declared advocate for people with disabilities,
John volunteers on a number of Baltimore area committees.
We need people to care to help people who can't help themselves.
So many people worry about money,
but to volunteer is great.
You get a different reward when you volunteer.
So many people wonder how a blind person can build a house.
Or how a person who uses a wheelchair can come and build a house.
The reality is is that the biggest limitations that people
with disabilities have are preconceptions that we've place on them.
But today, I wanted to help out to see what I can do.
Just a little bit of drilling I could do.
I wanted to help volunteer.
This brings back memories of when my house was being built.
It really touches me to see people here volunteering their time.
It's good to know that there's good people
out there that really want to dedicate their lives,
even if it's a few hours out of their day
to help someone else.
(Narrator) Volunteers, many with disabilities and limited construction
experience have completed the exterior of Kathy Hall's home
in just eight days.