The HFHWC Volunteering Experience

*Guest Author: Habitat for Humanity Wellington County Volunteer, Rebecca Smith:

I’m a Do-It-Yourself junkie, I’ll fully admit it, and I’ve been coming to the Habitat for Humanity Wellington County’s ReStore for a long time, so when a friend suggested I sign up on their Volunteer Hub and volunteer at the ReStore I thought why not? I have now been volunteering at Habitat for Humanity Wellington County for the past five months and it has been a very rewarding experience, one I would highly recommend to anyone looking to make a difference or just have fun!

My first volunteer experience with Habitat for Humanity Wellington County was in the ReStore, where I got to help unload trucks, organize inventory, set up a new Christmas display and help a shopper  find exactly what she was looking for (gorgeous oversized tiles that were being used to restore a bathroom).  The best part about the morning was the great new people I got to meet. Everyone was so friendly and willing to include me in their tasks, it was fun start to finish! And I didn’t leave empty handed I purchased a side table, which I have since painted and made into a fantastic nightstand.

After my time in the ReStore I started volunteering in the front office where I have not only got to accomplish a lot, but I have learned so much. I have helped out with writing blogs, researching social media stats, following facebook and twitter accounts (@HFHWC), and so much more. The great thing about volunteering in the front office is the wealth of knowledge I have gained. Luke, the Fundraising and Communications Coordinator has taught me so much about social media, which I can now take and apply to my career.  It’s interesting how I started volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Wellington County to help others and yet I’m personally gaining a lot from my experiences.

Last Tuesday a friend and I went to help build at 28 Huron Street as part of their reading week blitz. I got the chance to put my painting stills to use and helped paint one side of the house. Volunteering at this build was a lot of fun, I met some great new friends and we had a blast rockin’ out to some old school Will Smith while we cut in, rolled and generally had a great time!

My experience volunteering at Habitat for Humanity Wellington County has been amazingly positive from day one. If you’re looking to volunteer I strongly recommend coming to Habitat for Humanity Wellington County, it’s really easy to sign-up on their Volunteer Hub, you get to pick the types of volunteering you want to do (ReStore, front office or build site), there’s pancake breakfasts,  and you meet so many other helpful and friendly people. Whether it’s at the Restore, in the office or out at the build site, I plan on continuing to volunteer and hopefully I’ll see you there!

A Great Day to Celebrate HFHWC Women Build!

Happy International Woman's Day to all the wonderful, strong and brave Women Builders of HFHWC. Today is a perfect day to let everyone know more about the Women Build 2012 project.

Gain self-confidence in the Women Build Program

To all our current Women Builders. Your commitment, support and fortitude is incomparable and extraordinary. From HFHWC Staff, Board of Directors and even Maddie (who could forget Maddie?), the 2011 Women Build project was simply spectacular because of you. Moving those two girls into their beautiful new rooms is a memory that will last a lifetime. GREAT WORK!

2012 will mark the third annual Women Build here in Guelph, and we want you to be part of it! Women Build is not about excluding men, but including women, in an environment that is comfortable and instructive. No experience is necessary! It’s about spirit, empowerment, solidarity, fun, learning and pride in working with a family to build a place they can call home.

The empowering initiative of Habitat for Humanity Wellington County, Women Build is an experience no woman should miss out on. It works to build the skills and confidence of women on the build site and has them leaving with a sense of accomplishment.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We are seeking strong dynamic women to assist in the planning committees:

• Volunteer Engagement
• Sponsorship
• Special Events
• Construction
• Public Relations

If you are interested in joining one of the committees contact Elizabeth for more information. We are also seeking individuals who are looking to volunteer on site and just want to build! Start an experience to a lifetime of friendship and helping those in need right now!

Empower Yourself to Learn and Help

To find out more information on how you can help, and to also read up on the committee descriptions, visit the Women Build webpage.

Help fight the issue of affordable housing Guelph, Wellington County in a womanly way!

A Scrumptous Solution to Affordable Housing

On Tuesday, March 6th, HFHWC will be teaming up with The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro to put the power of affordable housing in your hands. How so? All you need to do is order one of The Works SEVENTY selections of succulent burgers and non-upgradeable side. You'll receive that burger and side for free and instead you'll be asked to make a donation to HFHWC. Here is more info... Straight from the horses mouth

The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro- the award-winning gourmet burger bistro, originating in Ottawa in 2001 – is celebrating its 10 year anniversary on March 6th by offering free gourmet burgers to guests of all locations, between 11am-2pm for lunch or 5pm-8pm for dinner. In true WORKS fashion, each neighborhood bistro has selected a local charity in their community and will be collecting monetary donations while serving up complimentary gourmet burgers. Every restaurant will offer a full menu selection, allowing guests to indulge in one of its 70 renowned gourmet burger options. Customers may visit any one of the 10 WORKS locations on March 6th (March 20th for the London location) to indulge in a complimentary gourmet burger while supporting the local community. The popular gourmet burger bistro currently has new locations under construction in Toronto, Waterloo and Peterborough with an additional eight planned for 2012 and recently announced plans to open 50 new stores across Canada.

 

Habitat for Humanity Toronto ReStore Promo Video

If you don't know what you're getting into, when you shop at the ReStore, here's a sneak peak into the ReStore world. Specifically, this is one of the ReStores in Toronto. Great video!

Adopt-A-Day and the importance of Corporate Teamwork

The Adopt-a-Day and Adopt-a-Week Programs enable groups to both contribute to the cost of building a Habitat home and share the experience of participating in a Habitat build.

Working together to build a home for a less fortunate family is a powerful bonding experience for volunteers and an effective team building exercise for corporate and other groups. Spending time together on a Habitat construction site can be a meaningful way to create stronger internal relationships within your organization, as well as to celebrate any organizational milestones.

Did you know that companies that emphasized on leadership development outperformed others by 15 times over the past 60 years? - Cutting Edge Information. There are many organizational benefits that come with participating in a corporate team building program. These benefits include:

·         An increase of morale and improvement of leadership skills

·         Breaking the barrier that blocks creativity

·         Clearly defining goals and objectives

·         Improving processes and procedures

·         Improving organizational productivity

·         Identifying a team's strengths and weaknesses

·         Improving problem solving skills

A study by John Kotter and James Heskett found companies that consistently paid attention to
their leadership culture over time vs. those who did not, achieved:

• Revenue increases of 682% vs. 166%
• Stock price increases of 901% vs. 74%
• Net income increases of 756% vs. 1%
• Job growth of 282% vs. 36%

As adopters, you'll also be part of the affordable housing solution in our neighbourhoods. Homeownership is a sustainable solution to affordable housing that affects both homeowners and the community.


A CMHC study from 2004 showed that 40.6% of Habitat for Humanity families surveyed reported an increase in the school grades of their children; 54.2% noticed an improvement in children's behaviour; 22.9% of parents went back to school; 34.1% of income earners moved on to better jobs; and 36.1% were less reliant on social assistance and community services.

How important is corporate team building to you?
Please contact us to inquire how you can adopt today!

HabitAPP - Keep Habitat in your Hand

What better way to stay connected with Habitatfor Humanity Wellington County then by having all the latest information at your finger tips, everywhere you go. This mobile app is currently available on all Blackberry, Android and iPhone touch phones and tablets, and will be available on Windows phones later this year.

This app, developed by Weever Apps out of Hamilton Ontario. This will provide our smartphone and tablet-using supporters to stay connected to and learn more about our organization. This app features:

• Form to donate
• Volunteer opportunities
• Sales and promotions at the local ReStore
• E-newsletter and e-blast sign up form (coming soon)
• Integrated social media accounts (Twitter and Facebook)
• Read our blog

The primary goal of the Habitapp is to provide a platform for our Habitat for Humanity Wellington County supporters, that will allow you to continually feel a part of the Habitat organization.

"Our volunteers are the heart and soul of the Habitat for Humanity organization, and we strive to make supporting Habitat as accessible as possible to the community," Said Diane Nelson, executive director, Habitat for Humanity Wellington County. "Mobile apps like Habitapp demonstrate how social media is transforming the not-for-profit sector, and making volunteering or donating more convenient."

HFHWC is advancing their communications and wants you to come along for the ride. This app will bring you a whole new level of simplicity, that you can easily be shared with everyone you know by clicking on the "Share App" feature. 

Become more engaged with Habitat for Humanity Wellington County at the click of a button and KEEP HABITAT IN YOUR HAND.

Raisin' The Roof February 2012 Newsletter

Raisin' the Roof February 2012 contains information about upcoming events: Volunteer Recognition Pancake Breakfast, Movies & Music at Gorge Cinemas and Women Build at the Guelph Storm game.

Also, read about the upcoming HabitAPP mobile app and volunteer opportunities remaining on the 2011 My Neighbour's House project at 28 Huron St.

Read, Enjoy, Share!