Volunteer Guidelines and Grants
The Holy Hammers, our 13-church coalition that partners with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, has recently completed our 2008 project. This year we built a two-story house and garage in St. Paul at 887 Randolph Ave, ˝ block west of Victoria Avenue.
While this year's project is now complete, we provide the following Volunteer Guidelines for information purposes.
Scheduling
We really count on you to help build our homes. Please arrive on site when you have been scheduled, and plan to stay for the day.
Please sign up for volunteering with Habitat ahead of time. Volunteers who "drop-in" at the site without signing up can be challenging to accommodate. We want all the volunteers to have a good experience.
Tools
As we cannot supply everyone with hand tools, please bring the following items to the site if at all possible:
- hammer (6 oz. finish or 20 oz. framing)
- screwdrivers
- tape measure (6' or longer)
- utility knife (with sharp blades)
- pencil
- cloth or leather nail apron
Label your tools with your name.
Crew leaders may be asked by the site supervisor to bring additional tools, if they own them. Such things as pliers, levels, skill saws, chop saws, drills, outdoor extension cords, and cat's paws may come in handy. It's best to check in with the Site Supervisor closer to the work week to see what would be needed. We do have these tools, but they tend to get spread thin during the summer months.
We expect that if you bring power tools, all safety items such as guards and switches are in place and operational. Also, please do not assume that others know how to use them.
Personal Items
Wear workboots or sneakers. Open-toed shoes are not permifted on site. Bring a hat and sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun advance if you are working indoors or outdoors. If possible, bring work gloves to protect your hands while carrying or working with building materials. Bring eyewear (sunglasses, goggles or safety glasses) to protect your eyes from sawdust, blowing sand, etc. Habitat does supply some goggles but not enough to go around. Wear clothes which you won't mind tearing or staining. Dress in layers so that you can add or subtract, depending upon the temperature inside and out. We work rain or shine! Get a tetanus shot, if you haven't had one recently. Adults need a booster every ten years
Let the site supervisor, project manager and/or site host know if you have a medical condition of which they should be aware, such as specific allergies, asthma, heart problems, etc.
Youth
Children under 13 are not allowed on site for safety reasons. The only exception to this are groups with children that are serving meals to construction volunteers. Teenagers aged 13-15 must have one-to-one supervision from their parent or adult friend. We require one adult crew leader for every four 16-17 year olds working on site.
Grant Sources
If you work for a company that provides a grant for employees who volunteer for organizations, like Habitat for Humanity, please contact Judy Murakami to find out how you can apply for funding. The process is easy, and the dollars can help support PCOTW’s financial commitment for this year’s project. Some of the companies who have volunteer grant programs are: 3M, Medtronic, Wells Fargo, The Gap, Exxon Mobile, Thrivent (members or employees), and Travelers.