Construction & Site Selection
This committee is responsible for overseeing the actual construction of houses. They provide guidance on appropriate activities for construction volunteers versus professional contractors, selection of house leaders, choice of materials, and other issues related to construction management. Volunteers are asked to volunteer on the construction site prior to joining the Construction Committee.
This committee also finds property on which Habitat builds homes. They research, negotiate, and acquire properties for building Habitat houses. The committee members are involved in logistics surrounding the acquisition of property such as investigating the feasibility of a property, meeting with sellers, and working with the county or city on zoning issues. Volunteers with backgrounds in real estate, site engineering and urban planning experience are especially needed.
Faith Relations
This committee works to engage local faith communities to facilitate their participation in Habitat projects.
The faith community’s involvement can consist of sponsorship or co-sponsorship of a house; organizing a congregational workday; providing lunches for volunteers on the worksite; making a long-term financial pledge to support our work; advocating in the community for Habitat and for affordable housing; and/or committing to pray for the work of Habitat in the community.
Development and Communications
This committee guides the overall resource development strategy of the affiliate, incorporating volunteers, funds, land, materials, and services. It strives to create a holistic resource development strategy across the entire organization through philanthropy, grants, and fundraising activities. The committee is responsible for sharing Habitat’s mission with the people living in the geographic service area, and all volunteers.
The goal of the committee is to continually seek to raise and maintain the community’s awareness of Habitat’s work in ways that properly reflect the mission, beliefs and image of Habitat for Humanity International. Sharing the mission includes: educating and informing the public of Habitat principles, policies and procedures in an accurate and responsible manner.
Family Support
The Family Support Committee provides support to families who are in transition to ownership of their own home. Partnering begins when the family is selected for the Habitat house and continues until the family is established in home ownership (usually six months to a year). The ultimate goal of the committee is to have Habitat families who can independently and responsibly care for themselves and their homes.
Volunteers interested in being partners should be willing to make a long-term commitment to help the Family Support Committee achieve its goals. The services provided by the partners vary depending on the needs of the family. Budgeting counseling is required for every family. Other services include instruction and advice on basic home maintenance. Partners make frequent phone and personal contact with the families and establish bonds of friendship and trust.
Family Selection
The Family Selection Committee chooses families best suited for a Habitat house based on need, ability to pay and willingness to partner. The committee holds orientations that are mandatory for new applicants, reviews the newly received applications as well as the mid-process applications, and makes follow- up phone calls to potential applicants in order to gain further information.
When a family has passed the first few screening processes, two or three of the committee members will visit the home to look for: substandard living conditions, overcrowding, unsafe location, etc. Once a family is chosen, committee members begin the nurturing process until a Family Partner is assigned.
If you are interested in learning more about or becoming part of a committee, please contact us.
