SAE International Offers STEM Education Programs and Scholarships

Dedicated to charity work and volunteerism, Benjamin (“Ben”) Perlin serves as a volunteer for various nonprofit organizations, including Habitat for Humanity and Tennessee State Veterans’ Homes. Benjamin Perlin also helped configure the electronics of a race car built by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International.

SAE International provides learning opportunities for engineers in the aerospace and automotive industries. Established in the early 1900s, it aimed to address technical questions in the growing automotive industry. Today, SAE International disseminates industry news and updates through its publications and offers training and professional development programs.

SAE International recognizes that there are fewer students attending science and technology programs, which is likely to affect workforce demands. To address this concern, SAE International created the SAE Foundation, which offers Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education solutions. The SAE Foundation also funds undergraduate and graduate scholarship programs to help students pursue careers in engineering.

Three Organizations That Offer Travel Opportunities to Volunteers

 

Benjamin Perlin contributes to the community by actively participating in volunteer work. Dedicated to a life of service, Ben Perlin works toward the vision of charitable organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Tennessee State Veterans' Homes, and Second Harvest Food Bank. Benjamin Perlin also finds a sense of fulfillment when traveling.

While others travel for leisure, some travel in order to do volunteer work. Here are three organizations that provide opportunities for traveling volunteers:

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) - Volunteers are deployed to any of its 53 host countries, to fulfill farming duties for a period of time. WWOOF provides volunteers with board and lodging throughout their stay.

Conservation Volunteers - Based in Australia and New Zealand, this organization seeks the help of volunteers in protecting habitats in local and international locations. Volunteers are required to contribute a small participation fee in exchange for food and lodging.

Peace Corps - This organization relies on volunteers to implement its projects in different countries. To become a Peace Corps volunteer, individuals should be residents of the United States and willing to commit to a 27-month long placement program.

Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore Home Improvement Centers

A resident of Nashville, photographer Benjamin Perlin maintains an active community focus and contributes time and effort to Second Harvest Food Bank. Benjamin Perlin also regularly volunteers with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville’s ReStore donation and home improvement retail center. 

Spanning the United States, nonprofit ReStores sell new and used appliances and furniture, as well as housewares and building materials. All items are offered at a significant discount from what they would cost if purchased new through conventional retailers. The money raised goes toward Habitat’s efforts to provide local families with homes that are decent and affordable. This is accomplished through funding mortgages that allow the purchase of land and building materials. 

ReStore donations are encouraged, as a way of both assisting local Habitat fundraising efforts and diverting perfectly good items from landfills, where they create more waste. Volunteers are available to provide pick-up services for larger-sized items, and “deconstruction” teams go in and provide removal services that would otherwise add to the cost of remodeling homes. 

In his activities with the ReStore charity shop in Nashville, Ben Perlin is involved in unloading donations and sorting them for placement in the store. He also stocks items and provides customers with assistance in loading heavy items into vehicles.

Dow's Partnership with Habitat for Humanity Produced 50,000 Homes

 

Benjamin Perlin is a photographer currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. During his free time, Benjamin Perlin volunteers in the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Established in 1976, Habitat for Humanity is a non-governmental organization and Christian housing ministry with operations on a global scale. It works with people from all backgrounds to help build decent homes for families who are in need. Since its founding, it has helped out over 6.8 million people.

Over the years, habitat for Humanity has established partnerships with several companies who believe in its mission. For over 34 years, Habitat for Humanity has been partners with Dow Chemical Co., a Michigan-based multinational chemical corporation. Through Dow's product and volunteer contributions, Habitat for Humanity has built thousands of homes. As a matter of fact, the Dow-Habitat partnership has recently celebrated its 50,000th home. In order to celebrate this milestone, Dow formed a partnership with Saginaw-Shiawassee Habitat for Humanity to help build a new house in Freeland, Michigan