Knowing Your Neighbors: AmeriCorps Legacy House

DULUTH, Minn. – AmeriCorps volunteers are building a new legacy house in Lincoln Park that will house future members and volunteers while they serve in the organization.

A team of nine National Civilian Community Corps, or NCCC members and a VISTA volunteer are working on the project on West Third Street in Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.

“We just gutted the whole building of previous stuff from owners and cleaned out all the birds and the feces that were around, so now we’re really stripping the basement of the floor tiles,” said Margaret Godwin, an AmeriCorps NCCC member.

The team is modifying the building, adding air sealing features and low flow water fixtures to make it more energy efficient.

“There’s so many different personalities on our team and working with them has been really fun,” said Godwin. “It’s been a challenge and some little disagreements about where to place people on these projects, but overall it’s been really great.”

NCCC members serve ten month commitments, helping to build better communities in need of repair.

“I’m so excited to see the finished project,” said Godwin. “I mean, we’ve been working so hard. Sadly, we’re only here for a couple more weeks but another team will be taking our place and continuing this process.”

While in Duluth, the team is supporting the Giving Comfort a Home program, assisting residents and businesses become more sustainable.

“I have more places to see and more projects to do and it feels just so good helping out a community, especially like Lincoln Park here,” said Godwin.

Once the building is complete, AmeriCorps volunteers will have a new place to stay while serving the Lincoln Park community.