Volunteer FAQ

Youth present special safety concerns on our build sites. The following policies ensure their safety.  NO EXCEPTIONS!

Youth under age 16 are not allowed on any site while construction activities are in progress.

A parent/guardian must complete a Houston Habitat Minor Release and Waiver Form to enable youth ages 16 and 17 to volunteer and submit via email to volunteer1@houstonhabitat.org. Youth ages 16 and 17 must be accompanied by an adult and may participate in most construction activities, but are not allowed to use power tools or perform roof work. Note that other restrictions may be imposed on site.

No! Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome. Skilled leaders explain and supervise each task.

Plan to volunteer rain or shine. If weather conditions require cancellation, then registered volunteers will receive an email and text notification via the volunteer portal by 6AM on the day of the event. Cancellations made before the day of the event will be sent out via email  to registered volunteers and any group leads.

We ask that volunteers arrive between 7:30 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. for home builds. Work will begin at 8:00 a.m. and last until 2 p.m. We encourage frequent hydration breaks and we break for lunch around 11 a.m.

Our ReStores have two shifts: 8 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30p.m.

Our partner community garden times vary. Please visit our Volunteer Hub Garden page to see the available shifts.

Dress with safety in mind and remember that construction sites and warehouses can be dirty or dusty! Clothes should fit comfortably, but should not be baggy (long sleeves should be buttoned) and should not have obscene or controversial messages or be overly tight or revealing. Shorts should be no less than mid-thigh length. We recommend athletic shoes, work shoes or work boots. ABSOLUTELY NO OPEN TOE, OPEN HEEL OR HIGH HEEL SHOES. Jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, rings, dangling earrings, etc.) should not be worn.

All of the safety gear and hand and power tools needed for each volunteer will be provided. We provide gloves, but you may wish to bring your own as sizes and preferences vary. You may bring your own hand tools only (no power tools!), but please be sure to clearly label them to prevent them from being commingled with others.

We provide cold, bottled water on-site. Volunteers are responsible for their own lunches. Please check with your group coordinator (if applicable) to see if a group lunch is being provided. If not, please feel free to bring a sack lunch.

Make sure you are using a compatible browser. Our software works best with an up-to-date version of Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox.

If you have not signed up to volunteer with us before, you must create an account first. Then you can register for your build/event.

If you already have an account, login, then register for your build/event.

Make sure you use a unique email address. You will not be able to register if you share an email address with someone else who has already signed up to volunteer with Houston Habitat.

If you continue to have difficulty, please email us with a screenshot and your question at volunteer1@houstonhabitat.org.

Online registration ensures that each volunteer has agreed to waive claims for liability, allows us to track the number of hours volunteers contribute and allows us to keep volunteer information organized and secure.

[IF MINOR WAIVERS ARE NOT ONLINE, 16 and 17 year olds must download the Houston Habitat Minor Release and Waiver Form and submit it by email to volunteer1@houstonhabitat.org.