To meet our goals of ending substandard housing, Habitat depends on the energy and time of volunteers for home construction, office support, committee work, and retail help. We welcome volunteers of all skill levels and interests into our Habitat family. The best value and the most powerful contribution come from the volunteer (skilled in construction or not) who wants to make a difference in the community.

Most of our volunteer positions do not require previous experience. Committees include family selection, family support and church relations. Construction volunteers may serve for one day or make a more long-term commitment. Opportunities are also available for volunteers interested in working in our ReStore. All children 16-17 years of age that participate in Habitat construction must have an adult chaperone accompany them on the work site for the day. No children under the age of 16 are allowed on the jobsite. Please contact our office or check out the link below for more ways youth under 16 may get involved.

Construction

We invite all persons 16 and older to join us on the jobsite. Construction volunteers can commit to a single build, such as the Women Build or Blazer Build, or can commit on a more regular basis, such as every Saturday for a month or every other Saturday for two months. Anyone interested in volunteering on the jobsite should contact the Volunteer Coordinator to check days and times of scheduled builds. Please refer to the FAQs below to answer any questions you may have about being a construction volunteer.

Do I need to have construction skills?

No previous construction experience is required - just a willingness to work and to learn.

How old does a construction volunteer need to be?

To be present on our construction site(s) all volunteers MUST be at least 16 years of age. Youth ages 16-18 are not permitted to use power tools or work more than 2 feet off the ground. All youth volunteers must bring a signed copy of the Release Form to the construction site.

When can I volunteer on a construction site?

Our volunteer days for construction are currently Tuesday through Saturday.

What is the time commitment asked of volunteers?

All volunteers are asked to commit to working the full day from 8am - 4pm. During the summer months, work hours change to 7am - 3:30pm. Volunteers must be onsite ten minutes before the start of the day for the safety orientation. When you arrive at the site, you will be asked to sign-in and submit your signed Release Form.

What do I need to bring to the construction site?

All tools, hardhats and safety glasses are provided. If you choose to bring your own tools, please make sure each one is labeled. Please bring a water bottle, sunscreen and a hat. All construction volunteers MUST be wearing sturdy/closed-toe shoes (NO flip flops, sandals or Crocs are allowed) and comfortable clothes that may get dirty.

What if I am doing community service for the school or the courts?

All volunteers with court ordered community service must give the Volunteer Coordinator a copy of the papers which state the offense and number of community service hours assigned. This information is kept confidential but is required before beginning community service hours with our Habitat Affiliate.

What about inclement weather?

In the event of inclement weather, please report to scheduled job site for further instructions.

How do I sign up?

Please call (229.245.1330/ext 27) or email (volunteerhabitat@bellsouth.net) the Volunteer Coordinator.

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Office

Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat uses volunteers in our Office to help answer and direct calls to staff, perform general office duties, and also help with small projects that come up throughout the day such as bulk mailing and filing.

Office volunteers have the unique and valuable opportunity to experience many aspects of Habitat's organization. The volunteer may be the first person a potential homeowner speaks with at Habitat, and can also help save our staff time by handling small projects that keep the organization running smoothly. Please refer to the FAQs below to answer any questions you may have about being an Office volunteer.

How old does an Office volunteer need to be?

To be present at our Office all volunteers MUST be at least 16 years of age.

When can I volunteer in the Office?

Our volunteer days for the Office are currently Monday through Friday.

What is the time commitment asked of volunteers?

Hours of operation are 8am - 5pm. If you can work a full day that is great, but half days or even a couple of hours are welcomed as well.

What if I am doing community service for the school or the courts?

All volunteers with court ordered community service must give the Volunteer Coordinator a copy of the papers which state the offense and number of community service hours assigned. This information is kept confidential but is required before beginning community service hours with our Habitat Affiliate.

How do I sign up?

Please call (229.245.1330/ext 26) or email (mvollenhabitat@bellsouth.net) the Finance Manager, Margie Vollenweider.

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ReStore

The ReStore is always looking for volunteers to serve as shelf stockers, sales associates and cashiers. Volunteers for the ReStore can work Tuesday-Saturday and should contact Bill Ray for more information on available time slots. Please refer to the FAQs below to answer any questions you may have about being a ReStore volunteer.

Do I need to have retail skills?

No previous retail experience is required - just a willingness to work and to learn.

How old does a ReStore volunteer need to be?

To be present at our ReStore all volunteers MUST be at least 16 years of age.

When can I volunteer in the ReStore?

Our volunteer days for the ReStore are currently Wednesdays through Saturdays.

What is the time commitment asked of volunteers?

Hours of retail operation are Thursday - Saturday 9am - 5pm. If you can work a full day that is great, but half days are welcomed as well.

What do I need to bring to the ReStore?

Please bring a water bottle and lunch. All ReStore volunteers MUST be wearing sturdy/closed-toe shoes (NO flip flops, sandals or Crocs are allowed) and comfortable clothes that may get dirty (i.e., T-shirt and appropriate length shorts).

What if I am doing community service for the school or the courts?

All volunteers with court ordered community service must give the Volunteer Coordinator a copy of the papers which state the offense and number of community service hours assigned. This information is kept confidential but is required before beginning community service hours with our Habitat Affiliate.

How do I sign up?

Please call (229.247.8513) or email (bray@habitat.org) the ReStore Manager, Bill Ray.

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Non-Construction

The largest non-construction service a person or group can provide is lunch during the work-day. A lunch provider will provide lunches for the construction volunteers, families and staff on a specific Saturday. The lunch provider will play a direct role helping keep the energy and motivation of our construction workers up. The food helps replenish energy and re-fuel the workers for the rest of the build day. Without these lunches our construction volunteers would not accomplish nearly as much.

Responsibilities include: providing lunch for 30-35 people, bringing lunches to the build site by 11:30am and helping the site host set up the lunches. Lunches can be a self serve buffet or sack lunches or combination with beverage.

Examples include: platter trays of Subway sandwiches, Macadoo's chicken fingers with homemade sides, or even hotdogs with chips and fruits. The possibilities are endless and the volunteers will be appreciative!

Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator for more information.

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Youth or Family Opportunities

Are you a youth under 16 looking to volunteer? Or are you wanting something the entire family can do together? We welcome you to come spend an afternoon helping us out. There are some limitations due to age restrictions all affiliates of Habitat have in place. However, we may have a special project that is just what you're looking for.

Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator for these opportunities.

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