How You Can Help

There are many ways that you can get engaged with the URI/South County Habitat for Humanity partnership. The engagement level of volunteers can vary based on interest, time and resource availability. All forms of engagement are important and critical to the success of the partnership and the goal of building affordable housing in our local community. Check out the list below for how you can help!

Indirect Service

• Participate in fundraising efforts – check back for events taking place throughout the fall semester
• Donate online – click on “Donate” to the right to make a donation directly to this URI/South County Habitat for Humanity Partnership
• Are you currently remodeling or making home improvements? Consider purchasing or donating your materials at the South County Habitat for Humanity ReStore. As a Habitat for Humanity affiliate program, the mission of the ReStore is to: Provide additional funding to support the affiliate’s house-building goals; Expand opportunities to serve a broader base of the low-income community by providing low-cost materials; and Divert construction and household materials from landfills and protect the environment. Visit South County Habitat for Humanity ReStore website (http://mysite.verizon.net/vzevbwi4/schrestore/) for more information.

Direct Service

• Get your hands dirty by helping with the build! This build is anticipated to start in Winter/Spring 2011.
  • Individual Volunteer – Join the URI Habitat for Humanity Student Club (http://studentorg.apps.uri.edu/orginfo.php?orgnum=51)
  • Groups/Faculty/Staff – Complete the Volunteer Interest Form (Coming Soon!)
• Learn about other builds happening through South County Habitat for Humanity or other chapters throughout the state.
  • South County Habitat for Humanity – http://www.southcountyhabitat.org/
  • Habitat for Humanity of Rhode Island – Greater Providence (http://www.habitatprov.org/site/index.php)
  • Habitat for Humanity – West Bay & Northern Rhode Island (http://www.habitatriwestbay.org/)
  • Habitat for Humanity – East Bay (http://www.habitateastbayri.org/)
• Volunteer at the South County Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Visit their website (http://mysite.verizon.net/vzevbwi4/schrestore/) for more information.

• Volunteer with other community agencies that work other related issues. Below is a list of some additional agencies:
  • Crossroads Rhode Island – www.crossroadsri.org
  • The Poverty institute – http://www.povertyinstitute.org/matriarch/default.asp
  • RI Community Food Bank – www.rifoodbank.org
  • RI Coalition for the Homeless – http://www.rihomeless.org/
  • Volunteer Center at Serve Rhode Island – http://www.vcri.org/matriarch/default.asp

Advocacy

Become more knowledgeable about Habitat for Humanity and the issue of affordable housing in Rhode Island. Check out the resources below:

• Habitat for Humanity – http://studentorg.apps.uri.edu/orginfo.php?orgnum=51
• Rhode Island Housing – http://www.rhodeislandhousing.org/
• State of Rhode Island Housing Resources Commission – http://www.hrc.ri.gov/index.php
• Housing Works RI – http://www.housingworksri.org/

“We are thrilled to receive our first campaign gift from the URI Helping Haiti Committee. This group of students, faculty, staff and administration formed to organize the URI Community’s response following the Haiti earthquake and have given $2500 of the money they raised to pay the entire cost of building our first URI Habitat home in Haiti! They have also donated 1,000 ‘URI Cares’ pins for distribution to donors who give to the URI Building Homes Campaign,” reported Honorary Chairperson Rev. Lynn Baker-Dooley. “We hope URI students and staff will be able to go to Haiti and Chile with Habitat International to build the homes that URI supports.”

South County Habitat for Humanity, an affiliate of Habitat International, builds simple, decent, affordable housing in partnership with people in need. Celebrating its 20th year this year, the affiliate has built 43 homes in South County as well as 70 homes in developing countries through donations to Habitat International. The affiliate also runs a Habitat ReStore to sell donated building materials and furniture at bargain prices, helping homeowners afford to maintain their homes as well as assisting the community to recycle usable materials.