Staff Highlight: Ryan Karis, Program Manager

Why did you decide to become involved with Rebuilding Together?

I have worked for nonprofits and non-governmental organizations for most of my adult life, except for the last few years when I worked for myself as a General Contractor.  I spent six years at Koinonia Partners (the predecessor of Habitat for Humanity) and worked for them when Habitat for Humanity was formed.  I also spent more than 15 years working for Habitat for Humanity of the Twin Cities.  While I enjoyed owning my own business, I really missed helping people and doing something beyond just earning a living.  One day, I was at Menard’s picking up supplies for one of my projects when I saw a Rebuilding Together Twin Cities truck.  “What is Rebuilding Together?” I asked the person headed to the truck (Jessie Livingston, an AmeriCorps member serving with Rebuilding Together Twin Cities at the time).  That conversation led to another conversation with Rebuilding Together’s Program Director Tony Sjogren and the rest is history!

What’s your favorite part of your job?

I love completing a project and seeing the impact on the homeowner.  For example, we installed a wheelchair ramp for a recent amputee in Farmington who had basically been trapped in his home.  Every time he had to go to a doctor’s appointment or leave the home, three adults had to carry him out down the home’s exterior stairs.  When he could finally roll down the ramp that we built, there wasn’t a dry eye in the group!

What’s your favorite band (or food if you don’t like music)?

My wife is a very good cook of several different types of food.  We have four children, ages 34, 30, 27, and 20, and three of them are adopted from Korea.  When we first adopted our kids, we participated in a Korean Culture Camp that included cooking and eating authentic, traditional Korean dishes like Bulgogi.  Bulgogi has since become one of my favorite foods.  It’s thinly-sliced beef, marinated in a sauce of sesame oil, soy sauce and green onions, grilled, and then wrapped in a leaf of lettuce or a sheet of dried seaweed with a little rice and a touch of kimchee.

Is there anything people might be surprised to know about you?

I had a mid-career break from working in construction by working for an international refugee resettlement organization for several years.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I’ve learned a lot through my international travel and work, and I’ve realized that being of service as a volunteer is very important.  You can make a positive impact in your home town or halfway across the world.  Be open to giving of yourself and spend time volunteering.

Donate to Rebuilding Together through Thrivent Choice®

We are pleased to announce that we have been approved to participate in Thrivent Financial’s Thrivent Choice® program.  By directing Choice Dollars®, eligible Thrivent members can recommend which nonprofit organizations they feel should receive charitable grant funding from Thrivent. If you are an eligible member, please consider us when directing Choice Dollars.

To learn more about Thrivent Choice, visit Thrivent.com/thriventchoice. Or call Thrivent at 800-847-4836, and say “Thrivent Choice” when prompted.

Reflections from AmeriCorps Member on MLK Week of Service

Every year, the CapacityCorps members from Rebuilding Together affiliates across the U.S. come together to serve in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. This year, Krista and I traveled to Lafayette, LA to help Rebuilding Together Acadiana make repairs on six homes in one of their target neighborhoods. The experience was an opportunity to bond with other AmeriCorps members and to learn about the importance of service within our communities.

On MLK day, January 18, 2016, I worked with 8 other Capacity Corps members, and 9 local AmeriCorps members from the University of Louisiana – Lafayette on a young woman’s home in the Monroe neighborhood. Together, we tore down rotten siding, scraped chipped paint, and began installing new flooring in the living room. Over the next three days, we replaced the siding, washed the house, painted the new siding and trim, installed flooring in two rooms, replaced the sink cabinet, added a new countertop, and painted the existing cabinets. Similar projects were completed on five neighboring homes. The week was an excellent experience and a welcomed break from the bitter Minnesota winter. For myself, I enjoyed spending time with my CapacityCorps peers and learning about their experiences with their affiliates, all while being able to serve the Acadiana community.

In addition to the physical work, we were visited by a number of different elected officials and community leaders to talk with about the importance of AmeriCorps and community service. During the day, Lieutenant Governor William Nungesser walked around the neighborhood and conversed with both CapacityCorps and Louisiana AmeriCorps members, thanking us for our service. Accompanying the Lt. Governor, Bill Basl, the Director of AmeriCorps, welcomed everyone to Louisiana and gave his appreciation for our hard work. It was very rewarding to receive this kind of recognition, and to see that we are supported for the work that we do. It put things in perspective for me as I am thankful for the pioneers of the CapacityCorps program and the opportunities they have provided to people across the country.

MLK Week 2016 was a great success. The CapacityCorps group is an exciting and diverse collection of people from all different kinds of backgrounds and stages in life. Not only was it a positive experience to work alongside them, but also to converse with on and off the worksite at meals and in hotel rooms. The week was a reflection of the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr., as we engaged in great conversations and learned from each other’s experiences, all while coming together to work for the better of our community.

Author Ethan Boote is 2015-2016 CapacityCorps AmeriCorps Member serving with Rebuilding Together Twin Cities.