Huntington Habitat Volunteers in New Orleans
March 4, 2024
A delegation of Huntington High School Habitat for Humanity club members traveled to New Orleans during the students’ recent mid-winter vacation, partnering with a local affiliate to help continue rebuilding housing stock destroyed more than 15 years ago when Hurricane Katrina devastated the area.
The Huntington Habitat members caulked and puttied the entire outside of a home; painted the exterior of a house and installed flooring along with prepping a foundation. The group was led by high school dean of students and club faculty advisor Robert Gilmor III.
The organization’s executive board consists of President Olivia Polinsky, Vice President Rylee Davis, Treasurer Charlotte Curtin and Secretary Jessica Maxiner.
Meetings are held on Monday afternoon’s in the School Heritage Museum-Room 140. Member dues are $25. New members are most welcome. The club’s Remind code is badfac4. Its Google Classroom code is mzgrvd2.
“This was Huntington Habitat’s 17th trip to New Orleans,” Ms. Polinsky said. “We continued our committed relationship with the local affiliate by helping in the rebuilding of the New Orleans communities. In our downtime, our group went on an eye-opening swamp boat tour and visited with many of the animals of the Audubon Zoo.”
On two evenings during the trip, the Huntington group visited Café Du Monde, eating beignets and sipping hot chocolate on the steps and viewing the Mississippi River as it rushed past.
“We ate at amazing restaurants,” Ms. Polinsky said. “Some of these included The Joint, Parkway and the famous Mothers.”
The Huntington Habitat club will continue its commitment to the Long Island Habitat for Humanity chapter by scheduling monthly builds beginning March 28.
Ms. Polinsky and Mr. Gilmor are planning a year-end fundraiser that will contribute to the club’s previously established financial goal. The pair is looking for partners that would like to donate to assist in their drive to be the first school to raise the needed $150,000 to fund a Habitat home.
“We hope to be the first student run chapter in the U.S. to fund a whole house, build it with the surrounding community and house a Huntington family in it,” Ms. Polinsky said.
Interested in helping the Huntington Habitat chapter reach its goals? Send a message to Mr. Gilmor at rgilmor@hufsd.edu.
The Huntington Habitat for Humanity club chapter dates to 2003 when Mr. Gilmor was hired as a high school dean. He organized the club, which included a very energetic and enthusiastic group of young people who helped the group establish a solid footing that has endured.
Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide organization dedicated to eliminating poverty and homelessness by building housing side-by-side with those in need.
A graduate of the College of Wooster in Ohio, Mr. Gilmor earned a Master of Social Work degree at SUNY Stony Brook in 1994. He later obtained certification as a school administrator through Long Island University. He was employed from January 1997 through the summer of 2003 as a social worker in the Elwood School District. He founded Elwood’s Habitat for Humanity chapter.
Since its founding, Huntington High School’s Habitat for Humanity chapter has worked locally, regionally and nationally to accomplish its goals. The group has traveled to cities across the country, helping communities rebuild after being struck by natural disasters.
The Huntington Habitat club welcomes new members of any grade level. It also hopes to receive community support and even corporate sponsorship. Interested in joining the campaign to make the world a better place?
