Couples who volunteer together…
Many of our donors, board members and volunteers give their time and talent as a family, and one trend that we’ve taken notice of lately is the amountof couples who choose to volunteer their time together. We all know the great feeling that goes along with giving your time to make your community a better place for those living in it, and to have that experience with someone you care about makes it all the more special. Habitat gives couples a unique opportunity to bond and learn new skills all while giving back. We spoke with a couple of couples to get their take on what it is about giving their time together that keeps them coming back.
Husband and wife team Allison and Andy always had it in their plans to volunteer with Habitat, but with little ones at home and a busy schedule it was hard to find the time. As the principal/owner of the local general contractor, A. Vernon Allen Builder, Andy saw a great opportunity to put his skills— and his employees’— to work for a good cause. His company partnered with Habitat Collier for a build day at Legacy Lakes, which also created the perfect opportunity for Andy and Allison to finally make it out to the jobsite.
“Whenever we talk about our goals for the year, we always bring up Habitat,” Allison said. “So this was a good opportunity to finally get out there and do it.”
Allison and her husband Andy love that they can make a difference together
She also says it’s a great for them as parents. Volunteering allows them time alone together that they can really feel good about.
“Weekends are family time for us, so we normally have to tag-team and one of us will watch the kids if the other needs to go run an errand,” Allison says. “But when we’re volunteering together, we feel better about leaving them with a sitter for a couple of hours. It’s a nice bonding experience.”
Eric and Christy are another couple who feel right at home on the Habitat jobsite. You can find them out there at least twice a month. In fact, Habitat has been an important part of their relationship from the start.
“We started volunteering together at Habitat in May 2016,” the couple says. “It was actually one of our first dates!”
Christy is a Veterinarian and Eric is the CEO of a telecom consulting firm, so for them volunteering is an escape from a busy and sometimes high-stress week. In addition to volunteering with Habitat, the couple also takes time out of their week to volunteer with their church and a nonprofit that Eric’s company runs. Through giving their time, the couple says they get a lot back in return. For them it’s a bonding experience, a great workout, a chance to work on their communication skills and a chance to catch up on the week during break time.
“It’s easy to give financially, but to give your time is rewarding after being in an office setting, or for Christy, in a hospital all week,” Eric says. “Volunteering really puts things in perspective.”
Both couples say what they love most about Habitat is meeting partner families and seeing the whole process from start to finish.
Eric and Christy have become jobsite staples
“It made us feel even more connected to them,” Allison says. “It was nice to put a face to it. After seeing and meeting the people, it was like you wanted to put in even more effort because you put yourself in their shoes. We just wanted it to be really nice.”
“It’s meaningful when we get to meet the homeowners and see them putting in their sweat equity,” Eric says. “It was excellent teamwork and enabled us to see the job and the entire process from start to finish.”
Interested in bringing your significant other out to the jobsite? Just register on VolunteerHub and pick the date and volunteer job that works for you. No special skills required. We’ll provide the tools and material, you provide the willing hands and hearts.
