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Corning, N.Y. -- Several students from SUNY Corning Community College’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) volunteered with the Steuben County Habitat for Humanity to help get a home ready for a family in need.

“Volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, for me, meant giving something as special as stable housing to people who may have been unfortunate and need a bit of support,” said SUNY CCC EOP student Marshal Mitchell. “I understand what it's like to feel unstable in the place where I live, so it's important to me that people feel safe in their private space.”

Mitchell, along with other members of the EOP program and SUNY CCC student body, helped work on a home that was recently acquired by Habitat for Humanity on the Northside of Corning, New York. CCC students participated in the initial phase of a remodeling project, which included tearing up the flooring and baseboards in preparation for new flooring.

“This opportunity to help a family move in comfortably to their new home helped me understand how it feels to work hard for something bigger than myself that could help families like Norman R. McConney, Jr. did for me with EOP,” said SUNY CCC EOP student Joshua Goodwin.

The home that SUNY CCC students helped to prepare for modifications is being prepped for a two-person family that includes a person who lives with a physical disability.

“My experience volunteering for Habitat for Humanity was a beautiful way to assist in creating a stable living environment for a family in need,” added SUNY CCC student Sanna Wilber. “My family had been moving around the area and living in rentals since I was eight years old, I always longed for a stable home, and when I was 13, I got that wish! I have never taken home ownership for granted since, and to have a hand in helping provide that dream for a family in need was powerful, to say the least.”

SUNY CCC’s Education Opportunity Program plans to partner with Habitat for Humanity for future projects.

About SUNY CCC’s Educational Opportunity Program
The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at SUNY Corning Community College helps to make higher education possible for students who demonstrate academic promise, but whose life circumstances have not permitted them to reach their full potential academically. Applications are open for the EOP program – the deadline to apply is June 30, 2023.