If you have volunteered with us on site recently, you’ve met Sandy. Sandy is our Volunteer Coordinator and the first face people see at our build site. You’ll always find her in the bright colored staff shirt and a smile on her face. Here’s what she has to say about her experience as our Volunteer Coordinator and our volunteers.
What is your favorite part about working with Habitat volunteers?
Knowing that there are plenty of people willing to give back to the community. Seeing people help others without receiving anything in return is special.
What are some of the questions people have when they’re at the build site?
First and foremost, where is the hand sanitizer? They also want to know how many houses we are building. (The goal for 2022 is to build 53 homes in San Antonio.) Volunteers also want to know how long it takes to build a house. It takes 8 weeks for volunteers to build a house.
What things surprise volunteers about Habitat?
People are always shocked at the number of volunteers on the site. They are also surprised at the number of homes we build each year. In 2021, we built 51 homes. Another thing that takes them by surprise is the number of homes at Rancho Carlota. We started building at our subdivision Rancho Carlota in August of 2020. Since then 58 homes have been built. The fact that we have built that many homes in a short time is a surprise to volunteers.
Tell us about working with our partner families on site.
I love it. I love learning about every family and all the kids. Everyone has a different story. I like learning about all they have achieved in their lives. I always want to hear about their path to homeownership.
What is something people don’t know about you?
I myself am a PROUD Habitat Homeowner. My family and I went through the entire process and program. I can relate to the families that I work with. I really am proud to own my own home.
What would you tell people to encourage them to volunteer?
The best part is helping other people in need. You can volunteer while learning basic home repair skills. It’s a great skill to have! You don’t have to have any experience either — we help teach you. Even if you can’t volunteer by building you can help feed our great volunteers. People are always welcome to donate lunches.
Sign up to volunteer today! Visit www.habitatsa.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities/ and fill out the volunteer form.