Student Narrative
"As my interests tend to focus primarily on the social sphere, particularly urban development and housing, I sought an internship at a small nonprofit in Washington D.C. Rebuilding Together (RT) is somewhat akin to Habitat for Humanity; however, rather than constructing new dwellings, RT renovates existing homes. They also specialize in domicilliary modifications for low-income and elderly homeowners; these typically include things such as wheelchair ramps and shower grab-bars. I served as the Congressional Initiative Intern, acting as a liaison between RT, their pro bono lobbying firm, and Congress at large. My main tasks revolved around designing a handbook for establishing Congressional contacts complete with phone/address lists and districting maps detailing which RT affiliate offices were located in which representatives' districts. As Rebuilding Together has been advocating for Congress to allocate additional funds for home modification efforts, I spent much of my summer researching the Appropriations Committees and making contacts within those offices. On the whole, my experience was very worthwhile, allowing me to attain some hands-on knowledge of non-profit organizations, Congressional work, and D.C. lobbying."
