Donate Homeownership Shop ReStore

Core Volunteers

Volunteer, Leader, Ambassador

If you are looking to learn, build, and lead volunteers with Houston Habitat, join our Core Volunteer program.

Core Volunteers make Houston Habitat’s mission possible. Each Core Volunteer develops construction and leadership skills that are essential to homebuilding. Core Volunteers commit to completing a series of training courses and to leading other volunteers as needed, which allows volunteers to become familiar with how Houston Habitat operates and builds. Volunteers must be at least 18 to join the program.

Why become a Core Volunteer?

  • Work alongside great construction staff, other volunteers, and families in our program
  • Learn construction skills
  • You’ll get your own Habitat t-shirt
  • Support and promote our mission
  • It’s a great way to meet new people!

What kind of things can you learn?

  • Framing
  • Installing trusses
  • Sheathing
  • Wall building
  • Window and door installation
  • Roofing
  • Playhouse building

and more!

Core Volunteer Training

Depending on funding, we have one or two training cohorts a year (spring and fall). Each cohort is limited to 20 new Core Volunteers. We ask those who are interested in the program to be patient with us while we work down our signup list.

Can’t wait that long to volunteer? Please see our other volunteer opportunities.

An update email on the new cohort will be sent to signups at the end of the current build season (Spring-July, Fall-December).

Interested? Watch the latest orientation video and fill in the form below.

New program updates

  • We have segmented the Core Volunteer program into House Building (HB), Wall Building (WB), and Playhouse Building (PH) tracks. Instead of waiting until we have another house to train on, volunteers can join the Core Volunteer program to help build playhouses for Houston Habitat homeowners, veteran families, and charities, and/or build walls for Houston Habitat homes.
  • There will be 2 Wall Build and Playhouse Build classes a year, each. Tentatively, these will be held at our McCarty warehouse in February and August.
  • Once certified, Core Volunteers will be able to assist our team depending on which certification they have.
  • Core Volunteers will still need to wait until the next House Building training cohort until they can assist with home builds.

Download our Core Guidebook for program information.

Training Update

Spring 2025 Core Playhouse and Wall Build class dates have been determined and posted on our volunteer portal.

Spring Training Schedule (all Saturdays)

January 25 – Wall Building class

February 8 – Wall Building class

Fall Training Schedule (all Saturdays)

TBD – House Building class

Core Orientation

Please view the Core Volunteer Orientation below. Orientation is mandatory for the next group of House Build class trainees. There is a password in the video you will need to provide the Associate Director of Volunteer Engagement to verify that you watched the video if you’re invited to the next training class.

*We are in the process of updating our orientation and guidebook to reflect our program updates (see above)*

Please also review the Core Volunteer Guidebook.

 

HFH volunteers help build a home

core volunteer interest form

Fill in the interest form below and watch the orientation presentation. New signups will be notified at the end of the current build season (Spring-July, Fall-December) where they are in the queue

If you are having issues with the form, then send your First Name, Last Name, Phone Number, and Email to dsoto@houstonhabitat.org.

    What level of experience do you have building homes?
var _ctct_m = "0b496c8f732905be1fca4842eed54577";