How to Get Involved

Provide Volunteers
Volunteer Online Now

Habitat for Humanity of Dane County uses a service called VolunteerHub to coordinate online volunteers. This helps streamline our communication and scheduling for hundreds of volunteers.

To sign up as a group, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator, Lisa Delany.

Church Visits
Contact: Maureen Coyle, Faith Relations

Members of our Faith Relations Committee are available to speak at your church during services or other activities to raise awareness for Habitat for Humanity of Dane County. We have materials to present and hand out to your congregation to learn how to get involved with Habitat.

Sponsorship
Contact: Peggy Halloran, Director of Development

Urban Neighborhood Initiative
A generous $1 million lead gift for Urban Neighborhoods from long-time Habitat volunteers Bill and Jan DeAtley combined with $1 million in additional funds to be raised by Habitat for Humanity of Dane County will help 30 very low-income families build or rehab homes. Using the Habitat model, they will purchase these homes through a 0% mortgage. Their monthly payments will be less than they are currently paying for substandard housing. 

In addition, 10 percent of the money raised will be used to match a $100,000 gift from the Madison Community Foundation to establish an HFHDC endowment for future building projects.

Habitat for Humanity of Dane County has purchased property in the Northport Commons area off Northport Drive. HFHDC will build a minimum of sixteen homes, sell five lots to a private developer and then add a neighborhood park to the community.

Apostles Build
In an Apostles Build project, churches come together to raise the money and to provide the labor and prayer support to build a Habitat for Humanity house. The idea of going out into the community to serve others, in the way that Jesus’ apostles served, has attracted individuals in many churches. With Habitat for Humanity, churches can share God’s love by building houses.

Building a house gives members of a congregation a concrete way to put their faith into action. An Apostles Build project also has the potential to build community among churches that have never worked together before.

Specifically, Apostles Build churches are responsible for:

• Educating their congregations on the ministry of Habitat for Humanity and on this build.
• Funding the house construction through cash and in-kind contributions.
• Providing construction volunteers in proportion to a church's financial contribution.
• Providing lunches to construction crews.
• Providing a site host on workdays.
• Providing morning devotions on workdays.
• Supporting the partner family (provide babysitting, scrapbook, etc.).
• Praying for the build and the partner family.
• Providing appropriate celebrations for the build (e.g., First Nail and House Blessing).

Individual and Combined Sponsorship
Individual congregations have committed to providing the full sponsorship of a home or have partnered with additional churches within their own or other denominations to sponsor a home.

Donations
Donate Online Now
Contact: Peggy Halloran, Director of Development

Churches provide ongoing, annual support to the general operations of Habitat for Humanity of Dane County and/or take special collections during the year to benefit HFHDC. There are also many opportunities to provide meals for construction crews, homeowner classes, and committee meetings.

Habitat Homeowner Referrals
Applying for a Home
Contact: Lisa Seidel, Family Services

HFHDC offers quarterly application opportunities for its program throughout the county. Faith Communities can help Habitat spread the word about these meetings and encourage qualified members of their congregation to attend and apply for the Habitat program.

Homeownership Mentors
Contact: Maggie Fitzsimmons, Family Services

You can share the experience and knowledge you have gained as a homeowner in the role of a Homeownership Mentor.  HFHDC’s homeownership program sells homes to single and two-parent families who otherwise would not be able to purchase a home in the conventional market.  The Homeownership Mentor works one-on-one to provide support, guidance, and advocacy for families as they participate in this program.  The transition from renting to homeownership can be intimidating.  This one-on-one relationship is the most effective way to fill the need for support during this time.  The result is often an empowering one for the family being mentored. 

Homeownership Mentors receive basic training on the programming and mechanics of the Habitat homeownership program. Mentors should be available to work with the family either by phone or in person for an average of 6-8 hours per month.  Mentors are asked to participate for the 12 month home-building process and are also invited to participate for an additional year after purchase. 

Prayer
The significance of prayers for the success of Habitat homeowners and the building of their homes cannot be underestimated. Many congregations include Habitat in specific worship services on a designated day or in prayers throughout the year.