Join A Committee
There's a lot more to Habitat than just hammers and nails. Much of the behind the scenes work at Greater Worcester Habitat for Humanity happens in committees. New committee volunteers are always welcome.  Check out the event calendar or contact the office for the time and place of the next meeting.

ReStore Committee ~ New Committee Being Formed in Fall 2006

GWHFH is forming a ReStore Planning Committee to determine if there is a market for a Habitat ReStore in the Worcester area. A Habitat ReStore is a non-profit, retail business that supports the services provided by its local Habitat affiliate. ReStores recycle and sell surplus, discontinued, new, and used building materials and furniture donated by manufacturers, stores, building contractors, and individuals. The donated items are sold to the public at approximately 25-50% of retail new value. Revenue generated from the store’s sales is used toward the support of maintaining and/or expanding the affiliate’s building program. More than 500 successful and profitable ReStores across the U.S. and Canada currently provide benefits far beyond the financial support of the affiliate and its work.

We are especially looking to engage individuals who have experience in the following areas that the project would involve:

• Retail management,
• Budgeting and planning,
• Legal and financial issues,
• Commercial real estate,
• Construction,
• Marketing and advertising,
• Public relations.

Construction Committee
The charge of this committee is to work with the office staff to: evaluate potential building sites, create workable house plans, develop systems and schedules for organizing families and volunteers for construction, and establish building contacts in the professional community. Further, this committee is responsible for construction coordination and schedules, construction oversight and budgeting, procurement of materials, and assurance of safety on the work-site.

Development Committee
This committee is responsible for procuring the funds necessary to insure the continued operation of Greater Worcester Habitat for Humanity. The committee shall develop fundraising and in-kind contribution campaigns and organize the volunteers to support these activities. Subcommittees include Grant Writing, Public Relations, and Special Events.

Faith Partnership Committee
The primary task of this committee is to build long-lasting relationships with communities of faith by building awareness of Habitat as an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Responsibilities include the development and implementation of a long-range plan for recruiting and nurturing congregations within the affiliate. This is accomplished by designing partnership programs with local faith communities, helping plan worship services, and telling the Habitat story to as many congregations as possible.

Family Partnership Committee
This committee’s charge is to plan, implement, and evaluate the affiliate’s support program for selected family partners during and after the building process. Among the committee’s responsibilities are to work with partner families to provide assistance with sweat equity requirements, homeownership education, the closing process, adjustment to new responsibilities, and continued partnership.

Family Selection Committee
This committee is responsible for developing the criteria used to select the affiliate’s partner families. The committee not only solicits and screens applicants to partner with Habitat as homeowners, but also recommends qualified families to the Board of Directors for approval as family partners. Once an applicant family has been approved for homeownership, the committee works in conjunction with the Family Support Committee to continue the relation-building process. All of the committee’s activities adhere to state and federal fair housing principles.

Site Selection Committee
This committee works with the Board of Directors to define focus areas or neighborhoods and acquire building sites within them. Further, this committee collaborates with the Construction Committee to evaluate potential building sites and work through procurement.