volunteer: in the community
There are many things you can do on your own to help Chatham Habitat in its mission of creating self-help opportunities for families to own affordable homes, improve their lives, and strengthen their communities.
Organize a fundraiser
Serve up BBQ, organize a fishing tournament, scrub cars, put together a music festival, or start a bike-a-thon to raise money for Chatham Habitat. Hold a dollhouse or gingerbread house competition and auction. We'll help you get the word out. Contact us with your plans before you start. Contact Bett Essen at 919-542-0794, ext. 222 or at bettessen@chathamhabitat.org.
Prepare meals for visiting groups
Help us fuel the groups who travel from out of town to volunteer with Chatham Habitat. Meals are usually served on the construction site. Groups vary in size, usually from 10 to 50 people. You can work independently or organize others to pitch in. We also need a volunteer to organize a Hospitality committee. Contact Gaby Fornari at 919.542.0794, ext. 223 or at gabyfornari@chathamhabitat.org.
Locate affordable land
Acquiring buildable lots in Chatham County is becoming one of our biggest challenges. An inventory of land enables us to build efficiently. If you have ideas and you'd like to join the Land Search committee, contact Amy Powell at 919.542.0794, ext. 216 or at amypowell@chathamhabitat.org.
Make things to sell
Create crafts for a cause! Sell your baskets, paintings, quilts, playhouses, and other works of art and donate the proceeds to Chatham Habitat. Make picture frames and birdhouses out of scraps from the construction site to sell at the Home Store. Organize a quilting bee. Spruce up items donated to the Home Stores. Hold a craft fair. Lead a group of children in making things to sell. If you are a professional artist, writer, or crafter, donate a percentage of your sales to Chatham Habitat. Contact Bett Essen at 919.542. or at bettessen@chathamhabitat.org.
Organize a group
Round up people from your church, social group, workplace, or neighborhood to volunteer regularly on the construction site, organize a fundraising event, or sponsor a home. This will bring your organization together while supporting a great cause. We have lots of ideas to get you started! Contact Bett Essen at 919.542.0794, ext. 222 or at bettessen@chathamhabitat.org.
Work with children
Tutor children after school at our Community House in Pittsboro. Prepare snacks or birthday cakes for them. Organize a craft, present a puppet show, or read stories. Teach an art class. Babysit for our partner families as they earn their "sweat equity." Contact Anna Schmalz at 919.542.0794, ext. 219 or at annaschmalz@chathamhabitat.org.
Lead a group of children volunteers on a special project. Here are ideas for how young people can help. Contact Bett Essen at 919.542.0794, ext. 222 or at bettessen@chathamhabitat.org.
Recruit churches & faith groups
Faith groups of various denominations play a vital role at Chatham Habitat, building and sponsoring several houses each year via the Apostles Build and the FaithWorks Build programs. You can help us build more houses with low-income families by helping us enlist more faith groups! A build is almost always in progress and groups can sign up at any time.
There are other ways faith groups can help. You can pray, organize a crew to volunteer regularly on the construction site, post news in your church bulletin, organize a fundraiser, help us reach families who may qualify for a Habitat house, prepare food for visiting groups, take up a special offering, donate land, perform and lead prayers at home dedication ceremonies, tutor children, and much more. Contact Bett Essen at 919.542.0794, ext. 222 or at bettessen@chathamhabitat.org.
Create housewarming gifts for new homeowners
Welcome our partner families into their new homes by creating gift baskets of food, cleaning supplies, and household items. Make a quilt and present it to the partner family when they receive the keys to their new home. Pot plants for the front porch. Create stepping stones or a birdhouse. Call Anna Schmalz at 919.542.0794, ext. 219 or e-mail anna schmalz@chathamhabitat.org.
Work directly with our partner families
Join our Family Services staff on visits to applicants' homes, help out at classes for futurel homeowners, act as a translator for families who do not speak English, seek out families who may qualify for a Habitat house, help strengthen Chatham Habitat communities through the Homeowners Associations, assist with home dedication ceremonies, and more. Contact Anna Schmalz at 919.542.0794, ext. 219 or at anna schmalz@chathamhabitat.org.