HUD Mississippi team volunteers around Jackson

Employees of the Jackson, Mississippi Field Office gather to paint a Habitat for Humanity House.

Community Planning and Development representative Claudine Ervin and Multifamily Housing account executive Morgan Clark paint the front porch area.

From left, HUD public housing revitalization specialist Anthony McIntyre; Mississippi State Government Employee Nick Lott; program assistant Kendra Mitchell; financial analyst Darlene Mauceli; and revitalization specialist Bonnie Lovorn prepare to distribute Valentine's Day cards and candy at the G. V. Sonny Montgomery Medical Center.

Recently, the Mississippi HUD team volunteered with Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capital Area to help renovate a home in the Poindexter Park neighborhood of Jackson. The group was tasked with painting the exterior of the 1200 square feet home and with touch up painting to the three bedrooms and one bath interior.

The home is among 618 Habitat houses built or rehabbed in the tri-county area since the local chapter for Habitat was founded in 1986. That particular home did not have a selected buyer at the time of the painting session but several families took tours. Every Habitat homeowner must earn 250 hours of sweat equity working on their Habitat house and - if they still need hours - working on other Habitat houses and rehabs being built in the tri-county area of Hinds, Rankin and Madison. For the HUD team, helping hands-on with affordable housing was a rewarding experience that also helped internally with team building and cross collaboration that extends to other activities.

On February 14th, the HUD team treated patients, visitors and staff of the G. V. Sonny Montgomery Medical Center to Valentine's Day cards and candy. The purpose was to pay tribute and express appreciation to America's veterans and their families. The event coincided with the Department of Veterans Affairs' week long salute to veterans. This tradition started 7 years ago. "Valentines for Vets" is an office-wide activity lead by the Public and Indian Housing division.

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