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anybody volunteer for habitat for humanity?

S

Semidevil

Diamond Member
I'm interested in doing some volunteer work to assist my community and I think habitat for humanity might be a good place to start.

Since it is all about building homes, do you have to have any sort of experience with tools? If I go there and tell them I dont know how to use a saw, nail a wall, etc etc, will there be activities for me to contribute?

Is it usually an all day event, or can you leave when you like?
 
Originally posted by: Semidevil
I'm interested in doing some volunteer work to assist my community and I think habitat for humanity might be a good place to start.

Since it is all about building homes, do you have to have any sort of experience with tools? If I go there and tell them I dont know how to use a saw, nail a wall, etc etc, will there be activities for me to contribute?

Is it usually an all day event, or can you leave when you like?
Click to expand...

yes, i have, and you don't have to be a carpenter to participate. although they have experienced carpenters on the crew who can direct you.

you can put in as much time as you'd like. of course they are building a house so it's not only an all day event, it goes on for months.

do it. 🙂
 
My Ex did, she went and built a few homes in Honduras. She had none, they made homes of mud bricks, and slept in hammocks. She had the time of her life.
 
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: Semidevil
I'm interested in doing some volunteer work to assist my community and I think habitat for humanity might be a good place to start.

Since it is all about building homes, do you have to have any sort of experience with tools? If I go there and tell them I dont know how to use a saw, nail a wall, etc etc, will there be activities for me to contribute?

Is it usually an all day event, or can you leave when you like?
Click to expand...

yes, i have, and you don't have to be a carpenter to participate. although they have experienced carpenters on the crew who can direct you.

you can put in as much time as you'd like. of course they are building a house so it's not only an all day event, it goes on for months.

do it. 🙂
Click to expand...

so what kind of things can we do besides 'carpentry' stuff? I ask because I want to get my wife involved too and she is not into using tools.
 
Originally posted by: Semidevil
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: Semidevil
I'm interested in doing some volunteer work to assist my community and I think habitat for humanity might be a good place to start.

Since it is all about building homes, do you have to have any sort of experience with tools? If I go there and tell them I dont know how to use a saw, nail a wall, etc etc, will there be activities for me to contribute?

Is it usually an all day event, or can you leave when you like?
Click to expand...

yes, i have, and you don't have to be a carpenter to participate. although they have experienced carpenters on the crew who can direct you.

you can put in as much time as you'd like. of course they are building a house so it's not only an all day event, it goes on for months.

do it. 🙂
Click to expand...

so what kind of things can we do besides 'carpentry' stuff? I ask because I want to get my wife involved too and she is not into using tools.
Click to expand...
she can pound nails, right? there is also work to be done with a paintbrush, shovel and broom.
 
I did some volunteer work for them about six years ago. I was between jobs and needed something to occupy my time.

All I really did was paint walls and ceilings, helped mud some walls, painted the trim, and eventually they let me also attach some of the trim with a nailgun. Cleanup took up a fair amount of time too, especially getting the paint out of the rollers. It was fun though! It was like being a kid again, playing with the hose and getting all wet in the process. I went home with a smile on my face every day.
 
Sometimes you have to clear a yard after htey've smashed up the cement driveway. Clean out the house and break down walls. Dismantle windows/doorways, or weed and cut down an overgrown lot. Sometimes you get to sand drywall, put up framing. Any and everything.
 
I think my roommate is going to El Salvador for this next month during reading week, or at least he was planning to.
 
i volunteered for a week in slidell, LA after katrina for a week. it was lots of fun and i have no experience w/ building houses, but there are plenty of ppl that have knowledge and will help you out. i really want to take time off of work and do it again, one of the best experiences of my life
 
Originally posted by: moshquerade
Originally posted by: Semidevil
I'm interested in doing some volunteer work to assist my community and I think habitat for humanity might be a good place to start.

Since it is all about building homes, do you have to have any sort of experience with tools? If I go there and tell them I dont know how to use a saw, nail a wall, etc etc, will there be activities for me to contribute?

Is it usually an all day event, or can you leave when you like?
Click to expand...

yes, i have, and you don't have to be a carpenter to participate. although they have experienced carpenters on the crew who can direct you.

you can put in as much time as you'd like. of course they are building a house so it's not only an all day event, it goes on for months.

do it. 🙂
Click to expand...

many habitat for humanity projects are 1 week start to finish. We did two homes side by side in a week.

Generally they don't want 'skilled' volunteers as everyone thinks they are Bob Vila and then need constant coaching.

Alot of things can be done though...picking up ice, food, cleaning up/setting up lunch, being extra hands, etc. Many restaurants will donate the food, but few stick around to help serve it.



 
I went to Habitat for Humanity and took a friend along with me. I knew how to use tools and my friend did not. I got to do all kinds of fun framing work. He got to pick up rocks around the site. He was pissed.
 
Being that i never done volunteering work in my life, can someone please explain to me what is fun about doing work for free?
 
Originally posted by: looker001
Being that i never done volunteering work in my life, can someone please explain to me what is fun about doing work for free?
Click to expand...

wow...

ok, where to start.

it's called doing something for your fellow man and not expecting anything in return. although you do get to benefit from the good feelings of being able to help someone in need.

maybe some people are so self centered they can't focus on anyone but themselves?
 
Originally posted by: looker001
Being that i never done volunteering work in my life, can someone please explain to me what is fun about doing work for free?
Click to expand...

The satisfaction of helping other people. The good feel of doing manual labor. Something to do in your spare time. Interacting with other volunteers, who are generally very nice people.
 
Not to put habitat for humanity down but there are a lot more places that need volunteers as well. In fact the habitat for humanity in a lot of places has too many volunteers. People see them on the news so much they try to sign up.
So look at other places that are not on the news all the time. They may need your help even more.
 
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Not to put habitat for humanity down but there are a lot more places that need volunteers as well. In fact the habitat for humanity in a lot of places has too many volunteers. People see them on the news so much they try to sign up.
So look at other places that are not on the news all the time. They may need your help even more.
Click to expand...

Think it is similar to after natural disasters. IE katrina, people started pouring in money to red cross and things like that. Then, smaller unrelated non-profits don't get any donations and have real funding shortages.
 
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