Donating Time to Habitat for Humanity
I just got back from spending a day volunteering for Habitat for Humanity this past weekend and have to put a plug in. I have volunteered several times with them over past couple of years and absolutely love every minute of it. I think Habitat for Humanity is such a great organization to volunteer for, if you have never tried it, try it once; I think you will be hooked.
Great reasons to volunteer with Habitat:
-Trying to control your spending? Volunteering time doesn't cost you a thing
-No long term commitment needed. Its easy to sign up to spend one day or even a 1/2 day volunteering with Habitat.
-It great for individuals or groups. If you and your friends are looking for something to do one weekend - this is perfect.
-Learn about housing construction. By volunteering with Habitat, I have learned how to roof a house, put down a subfloor, install interior trim, install a door, and practiced my painting techniques.
Other Benefits:
If you own a home or are considering owning a home, I have found Habitat for Humanity a great way to learn more about my house. This is so important especially if you don't consider yourself handy. Knowing how your home is constructed will give you better insight when you are troubleshooting home problems or negotiating with contractors on repairs or improvements to your home (This is the money saving tip part).
Volunteering your company or organization for Habitat for Humanity is a great, inexpensive (I mean FREE) team building event. I have organized a day outing with my group at IBM in the past and thought it was a great team building experience because:
1) It doesn't cost your organization anything (read easy sell to management)
2) I always end up working with people I typically don't work with and get to make new connections (great for networking)
3) Its allows your teammates to show their skills in other skill areas you wouldn't normally see (read team building).
4) You are helping others
5) Generates good image for your company by volunteering
Learn more at the Habitat web site or find your local Habitat for Humanity affiliate for more information.
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Comments (2)
DATE: 10:37 AM
hey man, great blog i read it all the time. I am a young mid-twenties male who has justed created a new blog on Real Estate and finance, check it outwww.slomoney.blogspot.comthanksPreston
Posted by SLOMONEY | September 10, 2006 3:05 PM
DATE: 9:57 AM
I just found your blog through Sound Money Tips and love it! And this is a great post because I had heard some not-so-good things about HFH - I wish I could remember precisely what it was, but I do know that one negative thing was that they have a very low rating from Charity Navigator (at least the main organization does). But your take on it, which focused more on the benefits for volunteers, really sold me on volunteering for them. When my son is a bit older, I will definitely look into it!
Posted by Cathy | September 10, 2006 3:05 PM