Archive | May, 2011

Hiring!

28 May

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga is hiring! We are looking for someone to fill our AmeriCorps National Direct position.

The National Direct Member will contribute to the overall goal of increasing home production at HFHGC by assisting in the development of crew leaders. In turn, the trained crew leaders will replace the member as the volunteer trainer after his/her term of service creating a sustainable method to utilize more volunteers on the construction site.

Primary Responsibilities and Duties -

  • to assist the construction manager on the construction site in daily activities related to creating a productive and efficient volunteer experience
  • engage volunteers in the tasks to be performed
  • assist in the recruitment and retention of construction crew leaders
  • participate in any meetings  considered relevant to the work of the member along with trainings or other courses deemed necessary

Qualifications:

To be successful in executing the responsibilities assigned in this job, a person must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. This person must be self-motivated and able to make quality, ethical decisions independent of supervision when necessary.

  • Basic construction knowledge and skills are preferred
  • Must be comfortable and able to work at or above 8 feet and on ladders
  • Must be able to lift 50+ pounds
  • Must have a valid driver’s license
  • Must meet qualifications for AmeriCorps National Direct Program including traveling to national events
  • Must be able to work Tuesday – Saturday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Education and Experience

High School Diploma or GED is minimum education requirement.

For more information on the position please visit http://www.habitat.org/cd/hr/cncsJobsDetail.aspx?pid=40956.

Also, for more information on Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area visit our website.  Don’t know what AmeriCorps is, visit our blog post on it.

Please submit cover letter and resume to Dawn Hjelseth by email at dstoike@habichatt.org or by fax to (423) 756-0509 no later than FRIDAY JUNE 24!!!

If  you would like to help volunteer building a house please contact Dawn Hjelseth at dstoike@habichatt.org. Also visit our website http://www.habichatt.org to find more information about Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area. our projects, and how to donate.

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Update on the ReStore and our new parking lot!!!

27 May

Thank God its Friday! You know what that means… A RESTORE UPDATE!!!! The crew is out and it is looking great. They are continuing to work on the roof and make sure everything is perfect.

They are making sure that everything is exact and straight. They are doing a fantastic job and we want to thank them for all of their hard work. Can’t wait to see the finished product!

HFHGC also has a NEW PARKING LOT!!! No more gravel! It is paved and it looks beautiful.

I was very excited when I was able to park my car there today.

For more information about HFHGC visit our website. If you would like to volunteer, donate, or have any questions please feel free to contact Dawn Hjelseth @ dstoike@habichatt.org. We would love to hear from you.

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Meet Pat and her Grand baby Autiyana

26 May

                Pat Waters and her granddaughter, Autiyana Hester (12), have struggled to get by in their tiny house. Autiyana was born with cerebral palsy, has seizures and is partially deaf. These disabilities limit her to a wheelchair. Pat takes care of her granddaughter, but it is hard to move around their house with the heavy wheelchair. Pat said, “It is hard to push my grand baby because of the carpet floors.” The house they currently live in is old and in bad shape. Also, it is not handicap accessible, so it is unsafe for Autiyana.

                Pat heard about Habitat for Humanity through Gail Pollack, former director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga. Gail came to Pat’s church and taught a class about Habitat, which peaked Pat’s interest. She applied years ago, but was not accepted. Pat decided to reapply in 2010 and was accepted for a new handicap accessible home for her and her granddaughter.

                “I am looking forward to a house that is more accommodating for my grand baby,” said Pat. She is glad that their new house will make it easier and safer to move Autiyana. The house will be designed for Autiyana with wider doorways, ground level entries, a roll in shower, a lift to get her out of her wheelchair into bed, and other special features that will make their lives easier.

                Even though Autiyana does not completely understand what is going on because she is deaf, Pat knows that she will feel the difference in the new home. Pat believes that Autiyana will be excited to feel the smoothness of the floors and how easy it will be to move around in the larger space. Also, Pat is excited about the location of the new home. “It was an answer to prayers that our new home is on a corner lot,” said Pat. She holds meetings at her house for family and friends, so Pat is excited about the accessible parking on the corner lot.

                “I am excited and grateful for such a wonderful, Christian organization,” said Pat. She said she enjoys working with Habitat because of their generous attitudes and love of people. “Like my pastor says, ‘Have better, Live better, Do better,’” said Pat about Habitat’s mission and willingness to help.  

If you would like to help volunteer building a house please contact Dawn Hjelseth at dstoike@habichatt.org. Also visit our website http://www.habichatt.org to find more information about Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area. our projects, and how to donate.

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Build-A-Thon 2011: Birmingham

23 May

This past week I got the privilege of going to the 2011 Build-A-Thon (BAT) Trip to Birmingham. BAT is an annual event that Habitat for Humanity International puts on for its AmeriCorps and National Service Members. (And it’s AmeriCorps Week, celebrating all the work that AmeriCorps is doing; check out here and here!)Build-A-Thon is a week (or three weeks this year) of building and improving houses all over the country.  This year BAT brought life to neighborhoods is seven different locations around the United States. AmeriCorps were doing everything from hurricane recovery in Mississippi, to rehab in Delaware, to LEED building in Seattle, and to tornado relief in Birmingham.

I had the privilege of heading down to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Birmingham and help with Tornado relief and  the Brush With Kindness program.  There were 60 AmeriCorps members from Maine to South Carolina! Over the week we helped over 15 families. It was an amazing time of learning about the successes and challenges that other affiliates face, as well as learning new construction techniques. We also got to witness the destruction of the Tornadoes that came through the area on April 27th, 2011. One neighborhood that was hit is a Habitat neighborhood. Over 20 houses were damaged, some beyond repair. We saw this on Monday, and it was crazy. We helped replace siding on some of these homes that were still standing and had minor damage. Thankfully, not one life of a Habitat Partner was lost.

The other four days of the trip were spent doing A Brush With Kindness projects, such as painting, fixing roofs, and planting flowers.

Overall it was a great trip, and it was great to meet people from all over the country dedicating a year of their life to Habitat. It was so rewarding to meet and help out many families that need assistance!

For more information about other Build-A-Thon projects and to hear more stories check out the BAT 2011 website!

*Habitat for Humanity of Chattanooga is currently hiring for an AmeriCorps Construction worker. If you are interested in this opportunity check out the website to apply! This is a great opportunity to learn more about Habitat while serving the community. (You will also have the awesome opportunity to go to BAT 2012!)

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New Roof and Store Front

20 May

ReStore Update May 20, 2011

The ReStore is looking great. The construction crew has been busy all day and what a great day to be working with. Today they have been putting up the new roof.

They have also been working on the new store front. It is incredible how much it has changed from our last update (http://transformchattanooga.org/2011/05/06/restore-update/).

The new ReStore should be open in July and we are so exited. If you are interested in supporting the Restore Fund campaign contact Tina Shaw Cox at (423)756-0507 ex.20 or at tshaw@habichatt.org. Help us Restore the ReStore! And help make the Chattanooga ReStore the first LEED certified ReStore in the country!

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Chattanooga Mud Run 2011 – Register in 4 Easy Steps!

17 May

4 Easy Steps to Register for the Chattanooga Mud Run 2011

There you go! You are all registered! Hurry up and follow these steps – last year we sold out early! You don’t want to miss this awesome event.

Join our Facebook Event too! Share it!

www.chattanoogamudrun.com

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AmeriCorps Week

14 May

A couple of months ago, I talked about what it means to be an AmeriCorps VISTA working for Habitat here in Chattanooga (read the post here!). This week is AmeriCorps Week and we want to celebrate all the work AmeriCorps has done and is doing in this area, the state, and country!

For those of you who don’t understand how AmeriCorps Works, check out this cool graphic. As you can see, AmeriCorps members typically serve at a site (Habitat for Humanity in Chattanooga), which may be one of several sites served by a local AmeriCorps grantee or sponsor organization (Habitat for Humanity International).


Below are some facts and stats on what AmeriCorps Members of working on around the country today! Support Americorps TODAY!  Join! Volunteer!

AmeriCorps Tackles America’s Toughest Problems  

  • Service is a Solution:  More than 83,000 AmeriCorps members improve the lives of millions of our most vulnerable citizens each year.  AmeriCorps’ impacts are proven and measurable.
  • Education:  Most AmeriCorps members are helping youth from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in school and in life through programs that teach, tutor, mentor, and engage young people in service. Last year, AmeriCorps members mentored, tutored or served more than 2.5 million disadvantaged youth.
  • Economic Opportunity:  VISTA, AmeriCorps’ poverty-fighting program, engages more than 7,000 full-time members each year in fighting poverty – creating businesses, expanding technology access, recruiting literacy volunteers, and strengthening anti-poverty groups.
  • Health:  AmeriCorps members save lives through HIV/AIDS education and outreach; drug and alcohol prevention training; and connecting poor families to health clinics and services.
  • Disasters: From tornadoes and hurricanes to fires and floods, AmeriCorps members have responded to hundreds of natural disasters.  In response to Katrina, more than 17,000 AmeriCorps members have provided 8.5 million hours of service and managed more than 611,000 other volunteers.
  • Environment:  AmeriCorps members build trails, restore parks, protect watersheds, run recycling programs, weatherize homes and support conservation and alternative energy strategies.
  • Veterans and Military Families:  Under the Serve America Act, AmeriCorps is working to engage more veterans in service and to support more programs that meet the needs of veterans as they readjust to civilian life.

AmeriCorps Fast Facts

  • 706,000: Number of people who have served as AmeriCorps members since 1994.
  • 860 Million: Total number of hours served by AmeriCorps members.
  • 2.5 million: Number of disadvantaged youth tutored, mentored, or served by AmeriCorps members in fiscal 2010.
  • 2.6 Million: Number of community volunteers managed or mobilized by AmeriCorps members in 2010.
  • 14,000: Number of nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations that AmeriCorps members serve with.
  • $480 million Value of cash and in-kind donations leveraged by AmeriCorps members in fiscal 2010.
  • $2 Billion: Total amount of Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards earned by AmeriCorps members.
  • $7.2 Billion: Amount of AmeriCorps funds invested in nonprofit, community, education, and faith-based groups since 1994.

How To Join

Go to AmeriCorps.gov or call 800-942-2677 to get started!

Get Things Done! Join AmeriCorps. Go to AmeriCorps.gov

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Visualize a 21st Century Habitat: Attractive, Affordable and Green

9 May

Like spring, one question always comes around at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area, say organizers of the Spring Tour of Habitat Homes planned for May 12.

“Habitat homes being built in Chattanooga in Chattanooga sport attractive architectural detailing and cabinets, advanced techniques to meet EarthCraft energy efficiency standards, and landscaping with native plants,” says Pete Palmer, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area.  “Yet, the assumption is often that they are unattractive, not compatible with surrounding architecture, or a drain of surrounding property values!”

“Our construction team, under the leadership of Dennis Neal, LEED AP, other staff as well as hundreds of volunteers, have been working hard for the last several years to build more attractive, aesthetically pleasing and energy efficient homes,” says Palmer.  “In celebration of their efforts, and of our recent partner families, we are hosting our first Spring Tour of Homes on May 12.  If you have ever wondered what a Habitat home looks like, we hope you will join us to meet our partner families, tour some of our recently completed projects, and learn about our plans to increase Habitat’s impact in the near future.”

Tour attendees will gather at the Mill on Main Street for light hors’doeurves, and then board buses which will fan out to recently completed homes or homes under construction.  “Our guests will have the opportunity to visit our first multi-unit building in Brainerd, a home in the St. Elmo Historic District, as well as Neighborhood Stabilization Program homes built to Earth Craft certification standards,” says Palmer.  “While the homes are on the tour, they are really not the center piece from Habitat’s perspective.  Our goal is to build stronger families.  This tour will allow our guests to meet the precious people whose lives have been transformed thanks to the opportunity to have a decent home.  It is one thing to build a house, it is another thing to play a part in helping a family and children have a brighter future.  We hope to give our guests a glimpse of Habitat is about more than building houses, it is about making an investment in the lives of people that ripples down to future generations.”

The Spring Tour of Homes is free and open to the people, but advanced registration is required, due to limited seats on the tour busses.

“Please send in your reservations by May 8 via email to dstoike@habichatt.org or by phone to 756-0507, Ext. 16.,” says Palmer. “We hope you will join us for this opportunity to interact with Habitat families, see their homes, and learn more about Habitat’s vision for the future.”

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ReStore Update

6 May

It is a beautiful day and the ReStore construction crew is out and busy. The ReStore is coming along great. The crew is currently putting in new windows.


They also put in the new store front. It is a brand new addition to our ReStore that will help bring customers in.

We can’t wait for the ReStore to be reopened with its new design and look. And if you are interested in supporting the Restore Fund campaign contact Tina Shaw Cox at (423)756-0507 ex.20 or at tshaw@habichatt.org. Help us Restore the ReStore! And help make the Chattanooga ReStore the first LEED certified ReStore in the country!

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Spring Tour of Homes – May 12, 2011

5 May

Have you ever wondered what Habitat Houses look like after everything is done?

If so -  come to our Spring Tour of Homes!RSVP TODAY!


Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area Presents:

Spring Tour of Homes

Date: Thursday May 12, 2011

Time: 5:00pm – 6:30pm

Location: The Mill – 1601 Gulf Street Chattanooga, TN 37408

See the new home designs, Meet the Partner Families,

Hear the Vision of the Future

 The event is free, but space is very limited!

For more information, contact Dawn Hjelseth at dstoike@habichatt.org or call 423-756-0507 ext. 16

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