COMMUNITY GROUPS AT THE BUILD SITE

Volunteering in Action

Group volunteer days are essential in advancing Habitat's mission. Alongside our staff and future Habitat homeowners, volunteers assist in the construction and finishing of houses that become beautiful homes for individuals and families who want a safe, affordable place to live. 

The benefits of volunteering aren't only for the homeowners, however. We continually receive positive feedback from volunteers who tell us they: 

• Have a lot of fun on the build site. 

• Enjoy meeting new people. 

• Learn new and useful skills. 

• Appreciate the chance to help families. 

• Like to participate in team-building activities. 

• Want to see new areas of Chicago. 

• Find it helpful to include on student resumes and college applications. 

• See it as an opportunity to learn more about affordable housing and neighborhood conditions in Chicago. 

• Are grateful to make the city we share even better: 

“I have participated in two build days with my school and what I love most about volunteering with Habitat for Humanity is pushing myself outside of my comfort zone while helping to change lives. The builds have been such a great opportunity to put my faith into action alongside people of all backgrounds, get to know real stories and go to a new neighborhood and help to improve a family's quality of life.” – Greg, school group volunteer  

Build Day Basics

• No experience is necessary to volunteer. We provide on-site training and task oversight to make sure you are comfortable and confident.

• While volunteering with us, you can expect to participate in activities such as framing, roofing, flooring, siding, painting, finishing work and more. There are a variety of jobs for every skill level and all of them play an important role in getting the job done. 

• We are currently building in the West Pullman and Greater Grand Crossing neighborhoods where we typically build from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM Thursday through Saturday.

• To maintain our construction schedule and get our families moved in as quickly as possible, volunteers are required to participate for the full day. 

• Depending on our calendar, we can usually accommodate up to 40 volunteers at a time (sometimes more!), with groups ranging from 5 to 40 people. 

• The minimum age for construction site volunteers is 16 years old. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian in no greater than a 4:1 youth to adult ratio. 

Before You Build

We are thrilled to host community groups who also strive to see a stronger and more just Chicago. This process is incredibly valuable for everyone involved and the effects are long-lasting, sometimes changing circumstances for generations to come. 

In order to reserve spots for your group on a particular day, we require groups to cover the cost of building materials for their volunteer day by fundraising or making a donation. The donation amount depends on your group size and time of year. Your time and belief in our mission matter immensely, but the reality is that building homes costs money. Group contributions are our largest source of funding. 

Don’t be intimidated! Fundraising is far less overwhelming than you think and small amounts add up quickly, especially when your team works together. Our volunteer groups host successful fundraisers year-round and report that our mission is simple to talk about, making it easy for people to literally "buy into." 

And, of course, we are here to help. There are so many fun, creative, and engaging ways to hit fundraising goals. Here are a few good ideas to get you started: 

• Dress-down days - a few dollars buys participants a day of comfort  

• Penny wars 

• Matching individual giving 

• Bowling or breakfast fundraisers 

• “Charity of the year” campaigns and initiatives 

• Second collections at weekly church services 

• Competitions! Does your top fundraiser or team get a special prize or privilege? 

• Raffles of prizes and “free” silly things, like ten minutes of complaining to your teacher 

“As I reflect on this day, I am so glad I made the decision to contribute in this service project. Knowing that I can make such an impact on someone’s life makes me want to continue to do things like this more often.  [Our] senior volunteers and staff came together to raise funds for Habitat Chicago. The school then matched the seniors’ fundraising efforts with a donation! On the day of the project, Mount Carmel contributed a total of $1,890. This was definitely a positive experience for me and I highly recommend Habitat for anyone looking to give back to the community.”– Corbin, Mount Carmel High School volunteer

Ready to volunteer or need more information?