Unceasing Commitment to Service

Sanchez (left) poses with his AmeriCorps NCCC Southern Region River 2 Team in the Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte warehouse.

What inspires someone to selflessly give, and what propels them to dedicate their time and skills to help others? For Alex Sanchez, it's not just a series of actions. It's a chosen way of life.

At the helm of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps Southern Region River 2 Team, Sanchez led his group through a three-week collaboration with the Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte construction team this past fall. In that collaboration, Sanchez’s AmeriCorps NCCC team provided safe and healthy homes for neighbors in need around Charlotte.

They learned many new home repair and accessibility modification skills completing these projects, Sanchez said, but they saw it takes more than knowing how to build a ramp to fully serve neighbors in need.

“The attention to detail, critical thinking, and problem solving skills needed to complete a project was especially interesting,” he said.

AmeriCorps NCCC is an opportunity to serve with AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. Providing opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to serve their country, AmeriCorps improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering.

This collaboration between AmeriCorps NCCC and RTGC is the latest in a series of engagements between AmeriCorps and Rebuilding Together.

One home Sanchez and his team worked on this fall belonged to a veteran, which resonated with Sanchez, who served in the Army Reserves. Sanchez felt helping a fellow veteran fulfilled a legacy of service he learned in the Army Reserves.

“Veterans are often left to fall between the cracks of support,” he said, “so it’s important that we always take the opportunity to assist them.”

The veteran’s home was one of five projects Sanchez and his team contributed to while working with RTGC. Their eagerness to jump right in and willingness to serve others ensured they had an impactful three weeks in Charlotte.

“The dedicated service from people like Alex and his team allows us to provide safe and healthy homes at no cost to low-income homeowners in the Greater Charlotte area,” said Director of Construction Nikki Quick.

Their three-week collaboration with RTGC is just one of many hands-on service projects the AmeriCorps NCCC team will do over 11 months for local and national nonprofits.

“I want to work that directly impacts local communities in a positive way,” he said.

Working with RTGC was unique, he said, in its approach to serving the community.

“Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte was extremely conscientious about the work it was doing and the impact it had on the community it’s serving,” Sanchez said. “I appreciated that the organization took the time to build a trusting relationship with the community, build awareness of the challenges they were facing, and cooperated with the homeowners at every step.”

In his journey from military service to AmeriCorps NCCC leadership, Sanchez has shown an unceasing commitment to helping others. It highlights the impact one person can have on neighbors in need and their communities.

Would you like to help families in the Greater Charlotte area? Sign up to volunteer with RTGC.