Habitat for Humanity East Bay

Ling Yu

Ling's dedication to supporting partner families is evidenced by her incredible volunteerism. Ling began volunteering with Habitat East Bay as a Cantonese interpreter for meetings of the Edes Homeowners’ Association, but quickly stepped up as a liaison between families and Habitat East Bay. "Ling is by far one of the most reliable volunteers I’ve ever worked with," says Megan Shea, Homeowner Relations Coordinator. "She’s gone above and beyond to make sure that Chinese families understand the details of the Habitat homeownership program as well as any native English speaker would," which is not an easy task considering that terms like 'homeowners association' and 'community revitalization' have no easy Cantonese language equivalents.

Ling doesn’t shy away from difficult or complicated situations, and recently had many back-and-forth calls with a family to resolve a miscommunication, all while on vacation in the Pacific Northwest. "In short," says Megan, "Ling is invaluable. She’s beyond a translator; she pays attention to the tiniest of details, and negotiates differences between American and Chinese cultures to make sure that Habitat East Bay can have the best partnership possible."

Tell us a little bit about yourself? What’s your day job? Besides work and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity East Bay what other things do you do with your time?

I'm an immigrant from Hong Kong. I attended elementary and junior high school in San Francisco. I lived in Southern California during high school where I perfected my English. I returned to Northern California for college and graduate school. My day job involves teaching English and Chinese to adults one-on-one. I spend my non-work hours surfing the web and reading books. I also use my bilingual skills in volunteering with local non-profits. I like words and the beauty of languages.

How did you first get involved with Habitat East Bay?

Habitat first landed on my radar via the former U.S. President Jimmy Carter who worked with the group. My niece mentioned she did construction work for Habitat in Southern California. I responded to an advertisement on Craigslist from Habitat looking for a Cantonese translator.

What is your current role and level of involvement with us?

I've been a Chinese translator with Habitat for a little over two years. I help out with doing in-person translations during family selection interviews, contacting families via phone to relay information, and doing real time translation during homeowner association meetings. I recruited a Chinese-speaking Tibetan monk to help me translate the Habitat brochure from English to Chinese.

What motivates you to continue volunteering with Habitat East Bay?

I live in the East Bay, housing is an important cause, and it feels good to lend a helping hand. What keeps me going is the fact that I feel my skills are appreciated by both the staff and the homeowners.

Why do you make volunteering for Habitat for Humanity East Bay a priority?

I like the idea of professionals (architects, engineers, funders, financial advisers, etc.) coming together partnering with families to build homes for families. I like even better the notion of families partnering with each other and with Habitat staff in building homes and maintaining viable communities. I know first-hand the importance of having a home; my parents had access to affordable and stable housing which greatly enabled their children to obtain higher education and get established in a new country.

What have been your most memorable experiences?

Each experience is memorable in its own way. I remember being a tad impatient; when one of the translation appointments was going to be cancelled because the in-house notary was unavailable, I volunteered my notary service as well as my translation service, just to move things along to satisfy my speed.

How does the mission and philosophy of HEB fit in your own life values?

My personal value is to give what I have extras of, be they skills, time, money, whatever. I like the philosophy of HEB in linking various resources to create state of the art affordable green housing, supporting homeowners in starting and maintaining thriving communities within the Habitat development while reaching out to improve the nearby neighborhoods.

What is it like working with office staff? With current and/or potential partner families?

The office staff have been really responsible, great at explaining procedure to me, and very approachable. The families are glad to hear from me, especially when I explained my role as a translator. It is through questions from families that I learn the nuances of Habitat procedures.

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