By Robert Leyh, programs manager, San Diego Pride
Now in its third year, Build OUT brings together two very different organizations while focusing on a common cause – affordable housing. This year, San Diego Pride and its partner organizations brought together 60 volunteers from the LGBTQ community to work at five different locations throughout San Diego County to support the work of San Diego Habitat for Humanity.
One of the locations Pride volunteers worked at is in Logan Heights where 11 homes are being built. These homes feature drought-tolerant landscaping, use of sustainable building materials, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and energy-efficient Whirlpool appliances. Under the supervision of master builders, Pride volunteers are literally helping to build affordable subsidized homes and bringing people’s dreams to life. The Pride volunteers spent the day performing a variety of construction related tasks that included sawing, painting, and installing fixtures.
“San Diego Pride’s greatest strength are the thousands of volunteers who make our events and programs possible all year round. We all know that San Diego is in a housing crisis, making the work of Habitat for Humanity a vital part of addressing this huge issue facing our region,” said Fernando López, San Diego Pride executive director. “This one event brings out our LGBTQ community around shared values of volunteerism, affordable housing, and sustainability. Build OUT reminds us all what is possible when we work together.”
Pride volunteers also supported the funding of Habitat for Humanity by working at all four ReStores located in Carlsbad, Escondido, Kearny Mesa, and National City. ReStores are home improvement discount stores with a simple idea: by selling new and gently used donated goods, Habitat can fund the construction of new homes in San Diego. Pride volunteers worked as cashiers, performed inventory, helped unload stock, as well as put up and took down displays.
Participating in Build OUT 2020 alongside Pride volunteers were members of Impulse San Diego, North County LGBTQ Resource Center, PFLAG San Diego, Stonewall Citizens’ Patrol, and TransFamily Support Services.
If you would like to engage in these types of volunteer opportunities with San Diego Pride, please visit our website at sdpride.org/volunteer and register. Civic engagement opportunities like this are available all year long as together we rise.
