Welcome to the Habitat for Humanity Ministry at Sacred Heart
Cathedral
As
of today we have close to 40 ministry members who have expressed
interest in helping Habitat for Humanity (HFH) build new homes
for those in need. Sacred Heart has partnered with the Wake
County chapter of HFH through participation with the Catholic
Coalition consisting of parishioners from 8 area Catholic
churches-St. Andrew in Apex, St. Mary in Garner, and St.
Francis, St. Joseph, St. Luke, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Raphael,
and Sacred Heart. To date, Sacred Heart has helped build 2 homes
in Wake County. Our ministry welcomes new volunteers at all
times to help.
We
hope you will find this information about Sacred Heart Habitat
for Humanity Ministry useful to you. If you have any questions
you are welcome to send an email to
socialconcern@sacredheartcathedral.org
What is Habitat?
Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenical Christian housing ministry
whose objectives are to eliminate poverty housing from the world
by making safe, decent, energy efficient, and affordable housing
a matter of conscience and faith in action. Since its founding
by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976, Habitat for Humanity has
built more than 175,000 homes in the United States, providing
over 750,000 people in over 3,000 communities with decent homes.
Our local Habitat for Humanity affiliate (HFH of Wake County)
has built over 300 homes since 1985 for deserving, low-income
families.
Habitat is a self-help organization. Homeowners will be working
side by side with us during the construction. They will also be
responsible for paying their mortgages. For more information
about Wake County’s Habitat for Humanity please go to the
website:
http://www.habitatwake.org
Do
I need any experience?
NO! You just need to be able to follow instructions and work
with other people. Safety is our highest concern. We will give a
safety talk when you arrive at the work site and instructions on
how to do your task. If you feel uncomfortable with a task or
tool, be sure to ask for help. Habitat provides training on
construction tasks – do not worry if you don’t have skills or if
you have difficulty learning at first.
How old do you need to be to participate?
All youth volunteers must be at least 16 year old to be on the
work site. Volunteers less than 18 years old will need a
Parental or Guardian Consent Form. You can get the consent from
at:
http://www.habitatwake.org/d/YouthVol_Habitat_ConsentForm_May07.pdf
Habitat International is working with various affiliates to
develop a youth volunteer program for students under the age of
16.
What do I wear?
Wear good work shoes - boots are best, no sandals or open-toed
shoes will be allowed. Sneakers are fine. Wear clothes that can
get dirty-you may get paint on your clothes even if you aren’t
painting. Avoid loose fitting or baggy clothes. Work gloves are
also a good idea.
Where are we building homes?
We
recently completed a home in Garner and are looking to build
again in the fall of 2012. We will update this page once we have
a new home assigned to us.
What is the schedule and the hours we need to be there?
Schedule is set once the project will commence. A typical build
lasts about 5 months. We work on Saturdays from about 8:30AM-to
4PM. You do not have to be there for the whole day or
participate every Saturday of the project; some people prefer to
work in the mornings and others like to take the second half of
the day. We normally need between 10-15 volunteers. You must
register at
www.habitatwake.org to work at the site. You will register
as part of the “Catholic Coalition.”
For questions regarding volunteering, call 919-833-1999 x
223. Habitat also back-fills with volunteers from other
organizations and has teams working on Fridays. In case of
questionable weather: We will not work in a heavy rain or in
very wet conditions. If you are in doubt as to weather,
volunteers can call HFH inclement weather hotline after 7:00 am
@ 919-833-1999 x240.
Do
I need to bring tools?
HFH supplies tools and equipment. But, many folks will often
bring their own tool belt, hammer, speed square, and tape
measure. In hot weather, people often wear hats. Many people
also bring some safety glasses, a pencil, a utility knife, and
items like that. On the first day of a new project, people to
bring gloves, shoves, rakes, and wheel barrows to help prepare
the foundation.
Do
I need to bring lunch?
We
have an established lunch program on Saturdays where the
participating 8 parishes take turns providing lunches. Everyone
loves the lunches! We normally have water available, but in case
we run out, it is always a good idea to bring your own water
bottle, especially when it is hot.
Future Plans
Look for updates and additional details regarding schedule and
volunteer needs in the bulletin and on this webpage.
For more information email:
SocialConcern@SacredHeartCathedral.org
Mission Statement
Habitat for
Humanity of Wake County develops partnerships to build healthy,
affordable homes with and for God’s people in need, promotes
self-reliance through homeownership, affirms the dignity of the
family, and creates sustainable communities.
Habitat for Humanity
International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian organization.
They are dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and
homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable
shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat's ministry is
based on conviction that to follow the teachings of Jesus
Christ, we must love and care for one another. Our love must not
be words only—it must show itself in action. Habitat provides an
opportunity for people to put their faith and love into action.
They bring diverse groups of people together to make affordable
housing and better communities a reality for everyone.
Other Social Justice
Pages Available:
                 
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