MENASHA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Hundreds of Habitat for Humanity volunteers “rocked” the city of Menasha Thursday.
“The magnitude of work that it would take just to try and tackle this project by myself was overwhelming, so to have the support that I had today was incredible!” said Rock the Block homeowner and volunteer August Kronberg.
Twenty-three projects, like fixing the outside of August Kronberg’s home, will be completed by Saturday in Menasha’s Friendship Trail neighborhood.
Community development manager for the Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity, Ryan Roth, tells FOX 11 Thursday was just day one and already several volunteers had come out to help transform their community.
“We have volunteers that come out from this neighborhood, from the community all around it, that comes out to help out the homeowners to make those meaningful improvements; to improve their house and, really, to improve the whole neighborhood.”
Roth said the program is more than just revitalizing a neighborhood, it’s about building relationships.
“People showing other people that they’re worthy of love, and I think that what we’re doing here with Rock the Block is we’re showing our neighbors that they’re worth it.”
Kronberg alls the effort overwhelming.
“I can’t even imagine what my neighbors are going to say, and the stories that I can tell them when they say, ‘Hey, nice siding. What happened?’” Then I can just tell them the love and support and everything that went into the people who had my back.”
Roth says upwards of 5,000 people have given their time and effort since the Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity’s Rock the Block started in 2015.
“They’ve contributed over 21,000 hours of volunteer time toward Habitat, toward Rock the Block, toward investing in neighborhoods, toward helping families, you know, making those meaningful improvements.”
Between the projects in Menasha and in Neenah next week, organizers said they expect more than 400 volunteers.
