Low Income Housing Pierce County
Raise a roof this holiday season
Habitat for HumanityFor those feeling a little empty inside this holiday season, Maureen Fife has the perfect gift - no wrapping required.
"Come out and volunteer," says Fife, Tacoma-Pierce County Habitat for Humanity chief executive officer. "It's an incredible gift someone can give themselves."
It's also a gift that can help put a roof over someone's head this holiday season. Habitat for Humanity builds between 20 to 25 houses a year in the South Sound, and is currently working on a 13-house development in Tacoma at 86th St. and South Ainsworth and another project in Tillicum. When finished, the development in Tacoma will feature a community garden, a tot lot and a basketball court.
"It was a neighborhood eyesore before we started work on it," Fife says.
The goal is to have the development completed by June. But from around Thanksgiving until March, the stream of volunteers starts to slow down, says Jason Gauthier, director of volunteer services.
"We're hoping to change that this year," Gauthier adds.
Even if a person has never picked up a tape measure or a hammer, they can still help out at a Habitat for Humanity job site.
"It's a great learning experience for them," Gauthier continues. "We do everything we can to make sure a volunteer has a great day at the job site."
Project managers at each site delegate tasks and help volunteers learn how to operate power tools.
"We're going to teach you the skills you need for the day," he says. "We'll teach you if you want to learn."
Volunteers also get the chance to work directly with the future homeowner on the job site, creating a real connection to the project. For groups of more than five people that want to volunteer, Habitat will even send a representative out to meet with the group and give the new volunteer orientation.
Those who would like to give in other ways can do so by donating items to the Habitat for Humanity Store, located at 505 Puyallup Ave., Tacoma.
Low Income Housing Pierce County - News
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