We are as eager as you are to bring volunteers back on site, but we want to exercise as much caution as possible. Read more.

East Wake Coalition

East Wake Churches Building and Repairing Homes Together, Serving Families in Need and Building Relationships
Our 2019 home in the Augusta Landing Subdivision was completed and dedicated on September 21st.

Stay tuned for information about our next project in the Flowers Place neighborhood of Knightdale

Location:
Wall Build:
Dedication Ceremony:

Reserve your work days early. If spots are not filled, they are released for other volunteers 3 weeks prior to the work day to maintain the construction schedule. To reserve work days, contact Angie Rizzo at angie.rizzo@habitatwake.org (919) 744-2423 or visit http://vhub.at/eastwake.

Saturday Lunch: Your congregation may be assigned one Saturday during the build to provide lunch for the volunteers, house leaders and Americorps staff (30 lunches).

For materials to help recruit volunteers in your congregation, click here. If you are a coordinator, you can view who has registered from your church on our Volunteer HUB. For instructions, click here.

Coalition Churches
Bethlehem Baptist Church
Knightdale Baptist Church
Knightdale United Methodist Church
Lee's Cross Roads Missionary Baptist Church

Malaby’s Crossroads Baptist Church
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church
Riley Hill Baptist Church
The Passage Church
Wendell Baptist Church

Wendell First Baptist Church
Wendell United Methodist Church
Zebulon Baptist Church
Zebulon First Baptist Church
Zebulon United Methodist Church

Johnny Glover

Faith Relations Coordinator

919.710.5143

Email
Rick Beech

VP of Faith Relations

919.744.2403

Email
Angie Rizzo

Volunteer Engagement Coordinator

919.744.2423

Email

Frequently Asked Questions

Construction volunteers work side-by-side with Habitat Wake staff, homebuyers, donors and volunteers to build homes and the foundations of lives more fulfilled in Wake County. No experience is required.

What’s the workday schedule?

8 a.m. – Volunteer registration opens
8 – 8:15 a.m. – Volunteer check-in and registration
Please arrive promptly so we can begin on time!
For safety reasons late-comers will be turned away.
8:15 a.m. – Volunteer orientation and safety overview, tasks assigned, work day begins
11:30 a.m. – Noon – Lunch break (Lunch is not provided unless otherwise indicated.)
3:30 – 4 p.m. – Site Cleanup

We’re counting on you! Please plan to work for your entire shift.

Please plan to carpool, if possible. Being courteous to our new neighbors is vital to ensuring our new homeowners are welcomed to the community.

What should I do when I arrive?

Please locate the Volunteer sign‐In station. Checking in is your first priority when you arrive on the site.

What if there is inclement weather?

If the weather forecast for your scheduled work day is questionable, we will notify you by text and email of any delays or cancellations before 7 a.m. Our greatest concern is your safety. For less than optimal weather conditions, we will do our best to find work indoors. If you feel uncomfortable driving to the build site, please stay home and reschedule your volunteer day to a later date

What should I bring?

Habitat Wake provides all necessary tools for your work day. If you choose to bring your own gear (such as work gloves, hammer, tape measure, tool belt or nail apron, pencil) label any tools you bring with your name.

We will have big jugs of water and cups on site, so please bring your own water bottle. You will also want to bring sunscreen and bug spray. We have these items on site, but if you have sensitive skin it is advisable that you bring your own products. You’ll also need to bring any food or other beverages that you would like throughout the day.

When is lunch?

Please bring lunch (or plan for your group to provide it) and a cooler, if needed. We’ll break for lunch around 11:30 a.m. and will need everyone to be ready to start working again at noon. If you plan on having someone deliver lunch to you on site, please ask for delivery by 11:15 a.m.

What is the bathroom situation?

There are portable toilets (porta-potties) on every site.

What is the minimum age for volunteers?

Construction volunteers must be at least 16 years old. Volunteers who are 16 or 17 must print this parent guardian permission slip and bring it — completed and signed — with them to the build site.

How many volunteers can work on a house at a time?

In general, the ideal number of volunteers working together on one house is 15-20. Homeowners and construction staff will also be onsite, increasing the total number of people on site. Our experience has shown that the volunteer experience is diminished when there are too many people on site. Similarly, if there are too few volunteers, we may fall behind on our schedule.

What should I wear?

Wear good work shoes – boots are best, sturdy sneakers are fine. No sandals, open‐toed shoes or light canvas shoes such as Keds.
Wear clothes that can get dirty. Avoid loose fitting or baggy clothes.
Bring a good hat and an extra shirt on hot days. Sunscreen it is essential for most days in March through October.

How should I prepare?

First, it is very important to arrive on time. Familiarize yourself with your route from your home or office to the site and email volunteer@habitatwake.org if you have questions about how to find the site.

To familiarize yourself with basic safety and job site expectations, please watch this Habitat safety video.

Do I need to have construction experience to volunteer?

No, we will train you to safely complete all the tasks for the day.

Safety is our highest concern. When you arrive, staff will provide safety instructions and training on how to perform tasks. If you feel uncomfortable with a task or tool, be sure to ask for help or ask to be re-assigned to a different task.

We value quality over speed. Relax and have fun! We are happy to teach you! We can have as many as 100 volunteers at our work sites, so it may take some time for staff to assign you a task. Please be patient with our process.

Gifting Guidelines

The greatest gift sponsors offer through their financial and volunteer contributions to Habitat Wake is the opportunity for prospective homeowners to realize the dream of homeownership.

We continue to affirm the value of a relationship in which the sponsor helps to empower the homeowner. Habitat provides a hand up, not a hand out. Partner families make a significant commitment that includes:

PAYING an affordable mortgage for 30 years
BUILDING for at least 200 sweat equity hours
and COMPLETING financial literacy and homeownership classes

Because Habitat homebuyer families commit to the same down payment, sweat equity and mortgage agreements, they should be treated equally. The following guidelines are offered to minimize the inequities that could arise from variations in the number and value of gifts provided by sponsors.

The sponsor’s primary gift to a family is the designated financial contribution and/or volunteer labor they provide to build the home.
Additional gifts to a specific family should be limited to house-warming presents valued at $100.00 or less. Our understanding of the law is that designated gifts cannot be deducted for tax purposes. If a sponsor chooses to make such gifts, it should be a direct arrangement with the family, and HHWC cannot provide documentation that would suggest that a charitable gift has been made.
Gifts of appliances, furniture, computers etc. should not be made directly to the partner family. Such items can, however, be donated to the Habitat ReStore where proceeds are used to build future homes.
Any construction-related donations (labor, materials) offered by a sponsor should conform to Habitat’s standard materials, house design, or construction schedule. If they do not, Habitat reserves the right to decline the donations, since they may delay construction of the home or substantially alter or complicate the design. All homeowner requests for changes to a house, including paint, flooring, design, construction, or materials, must be referred to Habitat’s construction manager.
Sponsors are asked to encourage families to locate and access established community agencies or nonprofit organizations that meet their needs, rather than making monetary or other gifts to the family. Sponsors can offer their own organizational infrastructure for these purposes (e.g., outreach minister, human resources department) or contact Family Services to get referrals. If a family asks a sponsor for any goods or services, the sponsor should refer the family to Habitat’s Family Services staff.