Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

And an unknown author noted, “Don’t ever question the value of volunteers. Noah’s Ark was built by volunteers; the Titanic was built by professionals.”

Since 1994, H4HNA volunteers have:

• Built 15 new homes for families living in substandard housing
• Contributed thousands of hours to the ReStore, financially supporting home building
• Helped put on dozens of fundraisers to raise money for Habitat
• Helped 24 homeowners repair and maintain their homes
• Educated thousands of people about homelessness, poverty housing, and how Habitat helps people in our community

We literally could not have accomplished all this without our amazing, big-hearted volunteers!

With this idea in mind, on June 24, Habitat celebrated our volunteers and showed them our appreciation with an outdoor BBQ.  About 35 volunteers and their families attended and enjoyed burgers, hot dogs, all sorts of sides and fixin’s, a custom Habitat cake, and root beer floats.  The volunteers got to meet and chat with each other, and the children played on the nearby swing set and colored on the tablecloths.

Volunteer Coordinator Jo Starr presented each volunteer with a certificate of appreciation, and many supportive local businesses donated raffle prizes.  Each volunteer received a Habitat t-shirt showing the floor plan of the 15^th house on the back and a special Habitat key chain.  Volunteers and their families went home with a great selection of prizes: massages, car washes, restaurant gift certificates, and tickets for the Museum of Northern Arizona, among others.  Everyone also went home with a big smile!

All our volunteers are special, but sometimes you have that one who really stands out, so Habitat chose a Top Volunteer who received a special prize:  dinner for two AND a massage!  This volunteer works in the Habitat ReStore and truly believes in the Habitat mission.  She is dependable and always there for her shift on time and with a big smile on her face.  When the ReStore is short-staffed, she is happy to step in and help out.  She’s a very creative, intelligent, and all-around great person.  The Top Volunteer Award went to Elaine Gommard, who started volunteering with the ReStore in February and in six months has donated 167 hours of her valuable time to help build homes in Flagstaff.

H4HNA is always happy to get more volunteers involved.  There are exciting opportunities for those with a variety of interests and any skill level.  To learn how you can help eliminate substandard housing in our area, please call our office at (928) 779-1314.

It’s no wonder we at Habitat love our volunteers so much!

On Monday, May 14, 2012, Habitat dedicated the home to the De La Torre family with an audience of people from around the community, including volunteers, donors, City officials, and Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors.  It was a special and emotional day, and many happy tears were shed.  The happy family started moving in just hours after the ceremony.

Habitat gratefully received a $7,800 donation from Sunwest Bank, which will go towards funding the 16th home, to be started in the spring of 2013.  Construction on the 17th home will begin in the summer of 2013.

Habitat will not be taking a break, however, as we gear up for A Brush with Kindness this summer! Stay tuned!

In 2007, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona opened a ReStore, where we sell gently used furniture, building supplies, appliances, lighting fixtures, plumbing supplies, windows, doors and a number of odds and ends. We accept and sell donations from all over the Northland. These donations come from retailers, remodelers, contractors and people who are ready to clean out their garages! We also get donations from resorts and restaurants that are looking to completely remodel, so the store never has the same things twice. Our motto: if you see something you like – better buy it quick, it will be gone tomorrow!

We are quite popular with remodelers and those DIY folks! We have our regulars who come in all the time just to see what’s new, then we have landlords who come in when they need to make repairs, and then we have those folks who just like to see what they can do with the most unusual thing they can find. It’s always entertaining to see how creatively people think and see treasures in items that the rest of us can’t even imagine!

The money we raise through the ReStore goes for Habitat’s overhead, which means when we write grants, hold fundraisers, or ask for donations, the money goes to building homes. This year, we reached that point where we have money left over, so now we are starting the ReStore House Fund, hoping that as the ReStore grows, we can cover costs AND build a house! We work with a few paid staff and a number of volunteers who enjoy a fun atmosphere and a never ending stream of unique finds.

If you’re interested in volunteering, donating or shopping, give us a call at 928-779-1314 or go here. What will you build in 2012?

This ADA-compliant home will be occupied by Noemy and Ricardo De La Torre and their three children. Our partner family will put in at least 400 hours towards building their home. Like the volunteers, they enjoy every minute of it. Recently I asked Noemy what it was like to watch their home being built. She gave me a huge smile and simply said, “It’s exciting!”

As I talk to volunteers about Habitat for Humanity and the project, they give me many reasons why they are participating. It’s fun. It’s rewarding. I’m learning a lot and getting great experience. I meet a lot of fun people. And of course, I want to give back to the community and help others. It just goes to show how great a community we live in!

Building this home has truly been a community effort. Numerous Flagstaff businesses have contributed time and materials for building, as well as lunches and hot coffee for our volunteers. The more people hear about the project, the more they want to help. Some volunteers are not able to help on the construction site, but there are many other ways they can get involved! Volunteers also help run our ReStore and serve on a variety of committees. These volunteers are just as crucial as those who work on the site.

Jo Starr
Volunteer Coordinator
Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona

Another area that has floored me is the level of volunteers in the ReStore, the build and those that are helping out in the office. WOW – we have such dedicated people working together to make sure that another family will receive a home and once again, I am overwhelmed with emotion at the level of commitment. I love walking into the ReStore and having such a positive environment for the volunteers and workers. The laughter, the fun and the customers can turn any down day into a great day in a matter of minutes. We are so fortunate to have the wonderful employees we have. Lee Lansing is our ReStore Manager and she really walks the walk and talks the talk regarding customer service. We have people telling us how nice it is to come into a store where everyone is friendly and wanting to help. We also hired Rick Metzger as our ReStore Warehouse Manager and let me tell you, you will not see another store cleaner or more organized. Rick makes sure the ReStore always looks its best and if you have anything delivered or picked up, Rick is the one who greets you with a smile and goes above and beyond.

I truly am blessed to have this experience. When I get bogged down with the paperwork, grants, and everything else that crosses my desk, I remember why I’m here and all the wonderful people I’ve gotten to meet and the incredible family we’re building for and I’m smiling before I know it and all the piles on the desk seem worth it. Thank you for visiting our website and thank you for all your support!

This year, Habitat will be rockin 2012. We have 3 great fundraisers planned – March 24th will be Casino Night at the Green Room. If you haven’t been to our Casino Night – you are missing out on some great prizes and a lot of fun. Everyone one there is competing for a great prize, but as we know – it’s all up to the dice and cards! In May, we will be taking over the First Friday Art Walk and it’s going to the BIRDS!!! Birdhouses galore, made by local high school students and decorated by artists, these one of kind homes will be up for auction. And in June – we’re bringing back the Tweed Ride, bigger and better than ever. If any of these sound like fun to work on, join our Fundraising Committee – one of the most fun committees you’ll ever find – heck we meet the second Tuesday of each month at the Green Room at 5:00 pm. Come on down and we’ll put you to work!

2012 will also be the year we look for a new family to occupy house number 16! NOW THAT IS EXCITING!!! We’re also looking for some great new people to work on a few committees that have openings. Are you interested in helping families get a new home? If so, come and join our Family Selection Committee or if you want to help the families we already have helped, become a member of our Family Support Committee! Both consist of some great folks and are very rewarding.

Starting this month and going every month after that – we’re starting Church Breakfasts on the third Thursday of each month. We’re going to invite Church Leaders to come and learn a little more about Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona and all the things we can do for the community with a little help from our friends. Come join our Community Relations committee and learn how we reach out to the community and do so much more than build homes!

So, as you can see – 2012 is going to be fun and exciting and we invite you to make a commitment to Give a Little and Change the World.

What Will You Build in 2012?