Alachua Habitat for Humanity  

Alachua Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to providing families in need with affordable, decent, safe homes to live in.   

Website : http://www.alachuahabitat.org/ (click on the “Volunteer” link in the top left corner) 

Contact : Robin Bastanzi (Director of Operations), (352) 378-4663 x 811, rbastanzi@alachuahabitat.org

Address: 2317 SW 13^th Street, Gainesville, FL, 32608 

Who they are: Alachua Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, Christian housing ministry.   

What they do: Alachua Habitat for Humanity seeks the elimination of poverty housing and hopelessness through the construction of safe, affordable homes for families in need.  They have already built or rehabilitated over 200,000 homes throughout the world, giving more than a million people safe, affordable, decent housing.  

What YOU can do to help: Volunteers are needed in many areas of this ministry.   

Receptionists are needed to help direct walk-ins or clients to the correct staff/office person, answer phones and take messages, and check voice mail.  Receptionists are needed Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Volunteers can volunteer for 2 or 3 hour shifts or a half day or a whole day.   

Office Assistants are needed to type memos, prepare mailings, file papers, enter data, help answer phones, assist with fundraisers or volunteer fairs, and assist the staff with various tasks.  Volunteers are needed Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Volunteers can volunteer for 2 hour shifts or a half day or a whole day.   

Thrift Store Volunteers (ages 13 and up) are needed long term, working in the store room or as store clerks.  Volunteers are also in charge of merchandise display, donation pick-up, and pricing.  The thrift store hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Volunteers can volunteer for 2 hour shifts or a half day or a whole day.  The Habitat Resale Store is located at 2317 SW 13^th Street, Gainesville, FL, 32608.  The phone number for the thrift store is (352) 373-5728.   

Construction Site Volunteers (ages 16 and up) are needed to help build houses and complete tasks at the construction site.  Experience in construction is not necessary to volunteer as a construction site volunteer.  If you do have construction experience, you can volunteer to be a house supervisor or crew leader. Construction site volunteers participate in placing trusses, framing the interior and exterior walls, hanging siding, decking the roof, hanging drywall, installing windows and doors, painting, installing fascia and soffit, landscaping, clean-up.  Volunteers also install windows, doors, baseboards, trim, counters, cabinets, flooring, shower walls, and tiling.  There are two different times of the week to volunteer.  There are week day builds and Saturday builds.  Week day builds occur Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 1 or 2 p.m.  Each day, only about 15 volunteers are allowed at the construction site, so if you wish to volunteer you will need to schedule week day builds 3 weeks in advance, at a minimum.   In addition to week day builds, there are Saturday builds.  These builds are from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Volunteers should arrive before 8:30 because they will need to sign in and be ready for the safety meeting at 8:30.  Saturdays are often booked months in advance, so if you would like to volunteer, it is best to schedule the times well in advance.  Only 30 volunteers can work each Saturday.   

If you would like to volunteer with Alachua Habitat for Humanity, you will need to get an application, fill it out, turn it in, and read a safety manual.  You will also need to attend an orientation.  Orientations are usually held Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.