It was a productive time on 210 Watson Avenue in Des Moines, IA for 8 volunteers. HOME Inc. held yet another, successful volunteer opportunity to get a home ready for a family to move into.

In the Birdland neighborhood, that had previously flooded—wiping out almost all of the houses, HOME, Inc. had been able to build 8 new homes in that exact area in hopes to rebuild the community that was lost.

This particular neighborhood sustained devastating flood damage from the floods of 1993 and 2008 when the levee breeched along the Des Moines River. Before the flood, there were more than 270 homes in the area. The flood left behind only 54 homes and ever since then, HOME, Inc. and Habitat for Humanity have been working to revitalize the community.

Now with the levee rebuilt to protect the Birdland neighborhood, federal regulators have deemed this area to no longer be a flood zone—meaning it is safe to build houses. With the go-ahead from government officials, revitalization efforts have moved from thoughts into actions this year.

Habitat for Humanity and HOME, Inc. have dedicated a lot of time and effort into turning Birdland into the trigging community it once was. We are proud of the revitalization work we have been able to complete alongside Habitat for Humanity.

We hope our dedication to bring life once again to the Birdland neighborhood will inspire others to invest their time, money, or hearts to make an impact and join the cause!

We will be looking for volunteers in May to clean more houses for families when they’re ready to move in. We are finishing a couple of houses so we need all the help we can get!

Please consider volunteering. It’s a great way to be more informed about what exactly is going on in your own community. It can truly change lives. It is your civic duty to be an engaged citizen and making other’s lives easier—giving another the chance to drive is a beautiful thing to witness.

If you’re interested in volunteering, contact Kourtney Kirkpatrick at 515-243-1277 ext. 212 or kirkpatrick.kourtney@homeincdsm.org .