Is Habitat for Humanity fun?

September 29, 2006 6:57 AM

Is Habitat for Humanity fun? How does living (or not living) in the volunteer housing affect the experience? Tell me about your experiences...
posted by shivohum to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (13 answers total)

I've been on two H4H trips to the Philippines, and am planning on my third and perhaps fourth early next year. I would not continue to return if I didn't have a great experience. For myself, it is a great way to experience an area, not as a tourist, but as someone who is willing to work alongside locals.

The first time I went, I was able to do a homestay with one of the families. It was an real eye opener, as I saw firsthand how they lived, as well as the significance of the home they receive. It is a real humbling experience if you go with the right attitude.

And yes it is fun. At least if you have the right people to work alongside of. But that is true with most of life.
posted by vagabond at 7:08 AM on September 29, 2006

my brother did HFH in Romania and still talks lovingly about it. He lived with this family whose patriarch was the sheriff of the county of Cluj in Transylvania. He went parasailing, built houses, hung out with Roma and met a lot of great people. I think it's something I'd do, if I could get a week off work ever.
posted by parmanparman at 7:12 AM on September 29, 2006

We worked on building a home for a family in a neighboring town. Good people, good skills.
We pulled back more from a philosophical difference - resources to build a full middle-class 'nice' house could've built several simpler homes for more families who need them. But that's a split hair; trying it for a weekend is the best way to find out.
posted by dragonsi55 at 7:14 AM on September 29, 2006

One caveat: HFH is more religious in some areas than others. This is from their website:

Austin Habitat for Humanity (AHFH) Mission: AHFH works in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks of life, to put our faith in action by building affordable, quality houses with families in need to eliminate poverty housing, one family at a time.
posted by mattbucher at 7:18 AM on September 29, 2006

I've worked on a couple H4H projects (just in the U.S., not where I travelled somewhere or lived in vol. housing) and enjoyed them. But there was praying in the morning, which I politely excused myself from, and some ongoing jeesus discussion that really irritated me. If that's your thing, however, it's great.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 7:31 AM on September 29, 2006

I've been on 3 HFH trips to sunny Florida with my college, and each was a major blast, though there are a few variables that effect how fun both building sites and volunteer housing can be.

On site: You'll want to be in pretty good shape. Even working with power tools can be exhausting after a while, so limit your activities to ones you can handle for the duration of the day. Good site supervisors will keep things moving and keep everyone comfortable. Plan for the weather -- usually trips involve alot of sun, so keep everyone covered in SPF 45 reapplying every 1-2 hours.

Off site:

You'll be able to ask about facilities while planning the trip. Make sure that there are *showers* at the site. Having to truck people and gear around to a shower location is time-consuming and won't make people comfortable.

Everyone should have a cellphone. Gather all the names and numbers on a list, and photocopy for everyone. It really helps if everyone puts each name in the cellphone during some downtime. It makes coordination of vehicles, etc. much easier.

As for fun, as long as the group is all of the same relative age and the destination is sufficiently exotic, having fun is the easy part. Just keep hassles to a minimum and everyone will have a good time.
posted by cowbellemoo at 7:36 AM on September 29, 2006

But there was praying in the morning, which I politely excused myself from, and some ongoing jeesus discussion that really irritated me. If that's your thing, however, it's great.

In the US, I think this will depend on who you volunteer with - organizations will often set up days to volunteer as a group. Through my church, yes there was a lot of "jeesus discussion", as you say, but volunteering with a group from my job, most of the talk was about the weather.
posted by muddgirl at 7:59 AM on September 29, 2006

Habitat for Humanity is an awesome experience. Theres nothing like building something with your own hands and knowing it will do the world some good. I volunteer at the one in my town (Wilmington, NC) and there has never been much Jesus talk. If there ever gets to be a lot, I would get scared and run away (or just live with it). But luckily everyone for the most part is there to work hard, and do some good. Unlike some of my other volunteer experiences, I have never had to admit I haven't officially 'let jesus into my heart'.
posted by ZackTM at 8:11 AM on September 29, 2006

No praying, though there was a cringe-worthy cheerleading session before we got going when I spent a day on a site in my neighbourhood.

Overall the experience was good. My group of 6 accomplished in a day what a skilled carpenter could have done in an hour or two but we all raised money to be there and the site was completed on schedule.

Good experience. Good organization. Great site (in this case a condo developer had donated land above its underground parking garage upon which we were building rowhouses).
posted by ChuckLeChuck at 8:13 AM on September 29, 2006

Just FYI, in case anybody is getting the wrong impression, they don't require the families receiving housing to be Christian.
posted by joannemerriam at 8:46 AM on September 29, 2006

My current roommate did it in New Zealand and had a blast.
posted by jrb223 at 10:24 AM on September 29, 2006

It's a good time. In Lawrence, KS, at least, there always seems to be a glut of volunteers. So, the work is spread around pretty well. I haven't encountered any overt religiousity in our chapter, but I don't volunteer all that often (maybe 3-4 weekends a year).

It's just a great way to spend a Saturday morning. An added bonus is that I actually feel like I deserve the beer(s) I drink Saturday afternoon.
posted by cog_nate at 10:33 AM on September 29, 2006

I realize you're asking about volunteer experiences specifically, but I'm a HfH homeowner (technically, condo owner) and have lived in my current home in WI for going on 10 years. The homeowner experience is probably different for each family who is offered housing - I can only speak to my own experiences.

It was a joy to put in my sweat equity hours, despite the fact that my son's bicycle was stolen the very first day we showed up to begin the sweat equity. I'd never have learned about door repair or staining or woodwork or all the other cool things I learned had I not participated and put in the time I put in.

Making the videos of the open air drug dealing outside of my new home? That's been exciting. We'd give those to the police in a effort to clean up a crime-ridden neighborhood for all our children who we wanted to keep safe.

I had no idea I'd be a permanant fixture on our condo board when I was asked to be the secretary years ago, but, what with my fellow HfH condo owners who don't belive in giving back after they've been given to, it is unlikely that anything will be done unless a few of us keep at it. We're exhausted and we're frustrated by the apathy of our fellow condo owners. Including myself, three individuals on our condominium association board have quit (several times each, various reasons) but still we drag ourselves through the necessary business because it simply has to be done.

My home was created using the resources available from the skeleton of a building that was never torn down. The walls are thin: I can clearly hear the lyrics to the polka music of my neighbors to the left and the surround sound oversized TV movies pounding to my right through them and I've had to remove items from the walls because the reverberations made them clatter. But I HAVE four walls and a ceiling and I cannot be ungrateful for that.

I likely sound jaded - I feel jaded. I'm unbelievably grateful to HfH for this home that I have been able to afford mortgage payments to - even after I had to stop working I am still able to make my monthly mortgage payment and condo association dues from my SSDI funds. I'm grateful that I have heat. I'm grateful to not have to sleep in bunkbeds with my kid anymore. There is so much I am grateful for. Truly.

But I'd really like you all to keep in mind that not only are we who qualify for HfH housing by rite of our incomes and family sizes super-excited to finally have one thing go in our favor for a sweet change of pace it by no means ends the story for each person on a "happily ever after" note.

I really wish there'd have been more post-move-in support.
I also really wish Habitat would be more careful in their family selections when they propose having 30+ families live all community-like in one of their rehab projects. Some of those people who were approved by Habitat for Humanity to live in this neighborhood have essentially been left in MY hands as a fellow-condo owner-condominium board member to follow up on each time their checks stop showing up, and I NEVER signed up for that.

Please DO keep volunteering. Please DO keep building. Please think of the people who will be living in what you are constructing as whole beings, not cardboard cutouts.
posted by mcbeth at 3:21 PM on September 30, 2006 [2 favorites]