The Habitat crew was great to work with, they were very helpful with instructions and it was nice to chat with them! It was also a cool experience to work alongside Partner Families and meet people who were actually going to see the results of a Habitat build.”
Construction Volunteer
Habitat Volunteer
YOUR VOLUNTEER DAY
Schedule
Volunteer: 7:45am – 3pm
Lunch: 11:30
Sign-up to provide lunch for your group/build day.
Build Site Address
You’ll receive an email with build day details and the site address a few days prior to your scheduled volunteer day.
Parking
Plan to park along the street, but be mindful not to block any driveways of nearby neighbors.
Tools
All tools and safety equipment will be provided by Habitat, but you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer.
What to Wear
Durable, closed-toe shoes are required. Appropriate, comfortable work clothes such as jeans and T-shirts are best; be sure to wear clothes that could get stained.
Weather
We plan to work rain or shine as long as the site is safe. We will notify your group by email if a cancellation occurs.
Food + Water
Lunch, snacks, and water will be provided during your shift. If preferred, you are more than welcome to bring your own water and sack lunch.
Volunteer Tasks
We rely on volunteer labor to complete all non-trade-specific functions of building a Habitat home. While you can’t specify a particular task for your volunteer day, you can take a look at our most common volunteer days listed below to prep for what you may experience with us on site.
Framing
Cut boards to size on the saw and build interior and exterior walls with a hammer or nail gun.
Siding
Cut siding and flashing to size on the saw and install on the house with a hammer and nails.
Windows + Doors
Learn how to properly install windows and exterior doors.
Priming + Painting
No hard hats required, our priming and painting days are spent inside with the music turned up!
Flooring + Trim
Learn how to properly cut and lay laminate flooring and cut and install trim.
Ready to build a house?!
It may sound daunting, but no experience is necessary to be a Habitat volunteer. Our construction team and volunteer crew leads will guide you throughout your day (and even teach you a few tricks of the trade).
Build site volunteers must be 16 years and older. Interested volunteers who are ages 16 & 17 please request a minor waiver from Andrea at acolley@habitatgfw.com. Minor volunteers are required to have adult supervision with them at all times.
Construction Volunteer FAQs
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Habitat crew leads are individuals who volunteer on the construction site 1-3x a week and assist our construction staff and volunteer groups in the home-building process. Learn more about becoming a Crew Lead Volunteer.
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Professional contractors complete trade-specific work and help keep costs low through in-kind donations of labor, services, and products. We hire
professionals to handle the following: pouring slabs, roofing, electrical, plumbing, and heating/cooling. -
Volunteer groups are limited to 7 people per shift (7:45am – 3:00pm). We’ve found that 7 volunteers at a time is our sweet spot — there’s enough work for everyone to do at one time, plenty of space to spread out without overcrowding the job site, and the perfect ratio of crew leads and staff to supervise and assist each volunteer.
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While in the past split volunteer shifts were available, this option is no longer possible. When signing up for a volunteer day, you are committing to a full day shift from 7:45am – 3pm, with an hour lunch break from 11:30-12:30pm.
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Habitat GFW does accept individuals looking to fulfill their Court-Ordered Community Service. Before signing up for a volunteer shift, please email Andrea at acolley@habitatgfw.com for an application or click here to fill out the form online.
WATER + SNACK DONATIONS
We’re always in need of water, Gatorade, or snacks to have on hand for volunteers. If you or your group are able to donate any of these items we would be so grateful!
You can bring donations to the job site during your volunteer shift or email Andrea at acolley@habitatgfw.com to schedule a drop-off at our Corporate Office or ReStore.
every can counts
Love helping the environment? Learn more about how you can get involved with our year-long fundraiser by recycling aluminum cans throughout Fort Wayne.