To volunteer at the Habitat ReStore, click here. 

To volunteer as an individual (or with a small group of friends), contact erica@habitatcd.org.

To volunteer with your company, school or other group, click here to learn more about our Team Build program.

If you are already part of a Team Build, contact your Team Build Captain for questions about your build day.

Volunteers must be 16 years old or older. Volunteers under the age of 18 must bring a waiver signed by a legal guardian with them to the construction site on their scheduled build day. Minor volunteers may not operate power tools or work at heights above six feet. There is no upper age limit for volunteers.

Depending on activities at the construction site, we may not need volunteers or we may already have enough volunteers for a particular day.

If you are part of a scheduled Team Build day at the construction site, please contact your team captain for more information on your build day.

We welcome volunteers of all skill levels and we provide all the training that you need! We assume no skills or prior construction experience, and the construction staff will provide plenty of instruction and supervision throughout the day. 

The safety of our volunteers is paramount to us. Prior to joining us on site, all volunteers must view this construction site safety video. Our site supervisors will also review safety information at the beginning of the build day; therefore, it is essential to arrive on time so you don’t miss any important information.

All types of building tasks are performed on a Habitat construction site. Please be prepared to assist in whatever the day’s tasks may be. Remember... every task performed helps to build homes! While tasks often include using power tools or working at heights, volunteers will not be expected to do any task that make them uncomfortable.

We do not discriminate on basis of race, creed, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. We are committed to maintaining a safe & inclusive environment for everyone.

Be conscious of the safety of others and yourself.

Do not continue working on a task that you are unable to do or feel uncertain about.

If you have any questions, please ask.

Hard hats are to be worn when any overhead tasks are being performed. Bring a hard hat if you have one. If not, one will be provided. See below for a list of resources of hard hat safety with natural hair.

Volunteers must wear protective glasses while operating power tools.

We work year-round and work outside in the elements. We only cancel work when there is dangerous weather.

Comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Light clothing is recommended for the hot weather. Layering clothing is recommended for cold weather. Please wear rain gear when working in the rain.

Closed-toe shoes or boots. You will not be allowed to volunteer on site if you wear sandals, flip flops or slip-on shoes. All shoes must be tied properly.

Safety always comes first, and protecting your hair is important too! Here’s a resource list for wearing hard hats with natural hair and natural hairstyles. Make sure to wear your hair in a way that allows a hard hat to fit properly and to protect your hair from friction and from the construction environment.

A protective hairstyle by natural hair blogger Deana Zhollis

Helmet-wearing tips (similar concept to a hard hat) by biker Kristin Collins Jackson for Bustle

Video on wearing thick natural hair under a hard hat by Jenell Stewart of kinkycurlycoilyme.com

Water bottle (we have water on site)

Lunch and snacks (unless provided by your volunteer group)

Sunscreen

Optional: gloves, hard hat and safety glasses if you have them (if not, you can borrow ours)

Optional: personal tools (hammer, measuring tape, etc.). Please leave your personal power tools home, as they are not allowed on the construction site.

Optional: A KN95 or K95 to protect yourself and/or others from airborne germs.

Smoking, drugs, and alcohol are not allowed on our construction sites, in the office or at the ReStore.

We recommend you do not bring valuables, including jewelry, when you volunteer with Habitat.

All volunteers must be 16 years of age or older. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21 years old. All youth must have a waiver form completed and signed by a legal guardian prior to volunteering on site.

If you are feeling sick, please contact us (or your team captain) to cancel your shift. Please stay home and rest!

Construction will often continue during rain, depending on the stage of construction. Usually we will have enough work to do indoors to continue working in inclement weather. If the build site will be closed due to weather, you will be notified via text message to the phone number you give us when you sign up for your shift. Always check the weather before you head to the build site to make sure you’re dressed appropriately.

We take the safety of our volunteers extremely seriously and pride ourselves on our safety record. Habitat for Humanity Capital District staff are trained in First Aid and CPR and can attend to minor cuts and scrapes. Please notify staff of any pre-existing conditions or allergies and of any necessary precautions, such as a bee sting kit, inhaler, etc. We ask that all injuries, no matter how minor, be reported to the site manager. If a serious injury occurs, a staff person will assist you in getting emergency medical care.

If you have an existing injuy or have limited mobility please contact our Project Manager, Melissa at melissa@habitatcd.org, in advance to see if we have a safe volunteer task on that day.

We cannot currently accommodate court-appointed service volunteers.

We are happy to provide a signed letter on our letterhead documenting your volunteer hours. Please request a letter for your total hours, after your last volunteer day is complete, by emailing our Director of Development, Erica, at erica@habitatcd.org. Please include the site location, volunteer date and total hours. We must be able to verify your hours to complete this letter so please make sure to sign in/out at your volunteer location.

Throughout the Capital District, Habitat works in partnership with neighborhoods that have their own unique identity and in many cases their own unique challenges. We encourage and ask all of our volunteers to embrace our community partners and neighbors as you build with us on site. As you work with us, please remember to remain mindful of your environment and utilize sound judgment at all times. If you have any concerns or questions, please communicate with the staff members working on the site.