Habitat is always in need of people who

• enjoy working with other people - people who can direct the efforts of other volunteers and see that the necessary tools and supplies are available on-site when the volunteers come.

• are skilled in specific areas of home construction - people who would be willing use these skills working on-site, people who would enjoy teaching these skills to other volunteers working on-site, or people who would be willing to inspect the construction work to see that it is being done correctly.

• are willing to learn the skills being taught to help in construction or support.

How do I get started?
RAHH Committees
Some examples

• Work on a construction site as worker, supervisor, or food-provider

• Work in our office providing clerical support

• Become a member of one of our many committees, the backbone of RAHH

• Call our office, 252-0849 -- Option 4 and Option 1 will get you directly to our volunteer line where you can leave your name, address and telephone

• Print out either the Inventory-Skills sheet, or the Committee Member Interest form, complete it and mail it to:

Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity
1530 Greenview Dr SW  Suite 107
Rochester, MN  55902

• Send us an email  with your name, address and telephone

• Construction/Planning:  Plans, schedules the acquisition of land, the construction of homes and the Ministry of Repair projects.
• Development:  Maintains the cost of fund raising to an acceptable level.  Supports all RAHH activities through a pro-active annual development plan.
• Family Partners:  Explains RAHH procedures and policies to the families, keeps information flowing between families and organization, monitors the families' "sweat equity".  Counsels and encourages the family as it accepts home ownership responsibilities.  "Prepares the way" for the family in the neighborhood.  Plans the house dedication with the assistance of Development Committee. 
• Family Selection:  Holds applicant meetings to explain the application and selection process.  Interviews applicants and researches their needs and financial capabilities.  Recommends Partner Families to the Board based on the greatest need, willingness to partner and ability to pay.  Maintains the legality of RAHH methods of selection.
• Finance:  Determines and recommends the annual budget, assures yearly audit is completed and reviewed, monitors and sanctions financial activities of affiliate through review of monthly financial statements.
• Volunteer:   Recruits and organizes volunteers to fill RAHH's needs.  Improves work site experience for volunteers.  Matches volunteers with the right task.  Provides recognition of value of volunteers to aid in retention of volunteers.
• Women Build Committee:   Help with planning for the next Women Build project, with recruiting women to help build or to serve on this committee, with fund raising for Women Build projects, etc.
• Youth United Committee:  Take on a leadership role and learn new skills in one of the working committees.  Choose from Recruitment & Education, Publicity, Fundraising, Construction Planning, and 15 & Under Involvement.
• Executive Committee:  Comprised of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, the executive committee oversees all the affairs of the corporation and be responsible for personnel affairs.

Enthusiasm and support for Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity projects has been tremendous and very heartwarming.  In order to handle all the people and groups who want to be involved, the following procedures have been established to register and guide people to work on job sites and for other Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity activities.

Every individual who is interested in volunteering must complete a Skills/Interest Inventory Sheet and return it to our office.  This form can be accessed from our website or you may call the office to request to have one sent to you.

Once your Skills/Interest Inventory Sheet has been entered into our volunteer database, a letter will be sent out to notify you of the schedule for an orientation session.  We require that every new volunteer attend one session, which lasts approximately 30 – 45 minutes.  For each group that wishes to volunteer, there will need to be a contact person.  That person will be responsible for attending or finding another group member to attend the orientation session and then share that information with the group.

Once an individual or a group has completed the Skills/Interest Inventory Sheet and attended an orientation session, they can contact the Volunteer Coordinator to schedule a day to work on the site.  Most days scheduled will be full working days for the group.  Occasionally the day may be split into two shifts to accommodate one or more groups.

The Volunteer Coordinator will call you or the contact person for your group the week you are scheduled to volunteer.  At that time she will confirm your work time, give directions to the work site and tell you whether lunch will be provided or if you need to bring your own.  There will always be water available.  Morning snacks, doughnuts, pop and lunch depend on donations and will vary.

Please arrive at the work site a few minutes before your scheduled time so that the Construction Manager or House Captains can get everyone started together.

If for some reason you cannot come at your assigned time/day, please leave a message with the Volunteer Coordinator at 252-0849, ext 4,  so she can re-schedule a time for you/your group and fill your spot with other volunteers.

There will be bathroom facilities and a first aid kit at each work site.

In order to make sure there is enough meaningful work for everyone, each day has been allotted a certain number of worker spaces.  Lunch is planned for a given number of people.  For those reasons, we discourage showing up at the work site without making arrangements with the Volunteer Coordinator.  However, everyone is welcome to come by, watch the progress, take pictures and maybe sign up for a future work time, or in rare circumstances, fill a vacant spot.

When you or your group arrive, check in with the Site Host.  If you haven’t already done so, you will be asked to read the waiver and sign the volunteer log.  The Site Host will give you a nametag.  We have found that it is more fun to know with whom you are working.

After everyone arrives, the group will gather together for introductions, an opening prayer and directions for the day’s work.  Depending on the activity, there may be a short training session so everyone knows how to do the job and knows the safety guidelines.

Everyone will be assigned to a group/crew.  The Construction Manager or House Captain will provide materials and answer questions about the work.  The Construction Manager or House Captain will always be available during the day.  If in doubt, ask!!!   Don’t go ahead with any work unless directed by the person in charge.  The Construction Manager is the technical expert and has the final say concerning procedures.

Tools for each day will be provided by Habitat and will be available at the work site.  If you wish to bring your own tools, please mark them with your name so that everyone gets their own items back at the end of the day.

Work hard and have fun!  By the end of the day, you’ll have made some new friends, helped someone become a homeowner and will be a part of the wonderful ecumenical ministry that is Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity.