Alice Nicholson came to Lake-McHenry Habitat for Humanity as an AmeriCorps VISTA after a 30-year career in real estate, community development, and economic development across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including work with affordable housing developments. Throughout her career, she also dedicated significant time to volunteering through her church, community organizations, and her children’s schools.
These experiences inspired Alice to give back to the communities she has called home by combining her professional expertise with her passion for service. At Habitat, she is bringing together her background in economic and community development, relationship building, and volunteerism to help strengthen communities and expand access to affordable housing. For Alice, the mission is personal and timely: to help “create communities with economic strength and affordable housing,” recognizing that affordable housing is a national challenge affecting communities across America.
Alice Nicholson with staff from a local restaurant who supported Lake-McHenry Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build event.
One of Alice’s roles with Lake-McHenry Habitat for Humanity has been public outreach—spreading the word about Habitat’s services throughout Lake and McHenry counties and building partnerships with organizations across both communities. “I’ve joined 16 Chambers [of Commerce] across two counties,” Alice explains. “It’s about building relationships and building community. I feel that I can segue between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors because of my background. I’m able to explain what Habitat does, what our mission is, and how we can help people. It creates a ripple effect—one connection leads to another, and as more people learn about Habitat, that awareness can turn into partnerships, resources, and ultimately tangible results for the families and communities we serve.”
“It’s surprising—when I’m at an event, many people do not realize the full extent of what Habitat does,” Alice says. She often shares information about Habitat’s Critical Home Repair program, which provides essential repairs and accessibility modifications for seniors, people with disabilities, and current military/veterans. The program can address serious needs such as unsafe staircases and roofs, as well as installing ramps and bathroom grab bars to help people remain safely in their homes.
Through her outreach and community meetings, Alice is helping bring greater awareness to this program, along with Habitat’s new home construction and the items at its ReStores. “At Chamber meetings, you never know who you’re going to meet,” she says. At her first Chamber meeting in January, Alice connected with a nurse who represented a Lake County home health care organization serving seniors. “I thought, who better to talk with about Critical Home Repair than a nurse who is serving the local senior population?” Alice says, “Many seniors want to remain in their homes, but repairs can be extremely expensive when they are living on a fixed income. If they meet the qualifications, they can apply for our Critical Home Repair program when applications open a few times a year.” For Alice, that connection is exactly what community outreach is about—bringing Habitat’s resources to the people and organizations that can help connect those resources with the individuals who need them most.
Alice was also tasked with recruiting and supporting individual and corporate volunteers, whose contributions are essential to Habitat’s work. “Habitat homes and repairs would not be completed without volunteers,” she explains. Her own experience as a volunteer has given her a deeper understanding of what it takes to create a meaningful volunteer experience and has helped her better support Lake-McHenry Habitat for Humanity’s volunteers.
“I can relate to so many different perspectives—whether it’s a corporate volunteer, a stay-at-home parent, or a retired volunteer,” Alice says. “In order to work with volunteers, you need to have been a volunteer. You can’t ask people to do something you haven’t experienced yourself. It’s really important to engage with volunteers, make sure they enjoy the experience, and help them see that the time they’ve given has truly made a difference.”
“When I saw the AmeriCorps VISTA Habitat community outreach position, it made sense because of my career background and my own volunteer experiences,” Alice concludes. “I wanted to give back to the community, and Habitat was a natural fit for my interests in community development, outreach, and helping people. Being civic-minded and volunteering has always been part of my family—both growing up and while raising my three children.”
Now, Alice hopes her experience will encourage others to consider AmeriCorps VISTA service at any stage of their careers. “You don’t have to be a recent college graduate to serve,” she says. “Whether you’re looking for a career change, reentering the workforce, or simply looking for a meaningful way to give back, there’s an opportunity to use the skills and experiences you already have to make a difference in your community.”
After her year of service ends, Alice will continue to work with Lake-McHenry Habitat in a new position called Government Relations and Economic Partnerships. She will work with elected officials and municipalities throughout the two counties to form partnerships with Habitat for Humanity.