University School of Nashville

Organization Name:

University School of Nashville

Build Dates:

March 27, 2021

Future Habitat Homeowners:

Bianca Tarantola

Neighborhood:

Park Preserve Nashville, Tennessee

Lot Numbers:

307

Click here for pre-build packet: https://issuu.com/habitatnashville/docs/usn

Spring 2021

Bianca Tarantola ‘I am an overcomer’ With school and work both being conducted remotely due to the pandemic, Bianca’s overcrowded housing is amplified. She and her three sons, ages 6 – 15, live with Bianca’s father in a three-bedroom house.

Five people share two closets, she says exasperated.

She converted the dining room into a work station with a computer for her middle schooler to “attend school” leaving them with no where to eat together as a family.

Her oldest son sleeps on the couch each night.

Bianca has dreamed of homeownership for a long time and applied for a Habitat for Humanity home 10 years ago and did not qualify. Undaunted, she focused on getting in better financial shape and saving money. She created a vision board to keep her goals on track and she says confidently, the need and time is now for homeownership.

Bianca has worked for 180 Health Partners as a peer advocate for more than two years. She graduated summa cum laude from Nashville State Community College and was valedictorian at Uprise Nashville, a career guidance center. She got better prepared for homeownership, applied and qualified for Habitat’s homeownership program. “A Habitat home is a unique special experience that I want to be a part of,” she says. “How cool is it to place the nail in your own wall. It is a dream of mine to be able to provide a stable, consistent place to call home for my children.” Bianca believes the most exciting part of buying a Habitat home is that “I’m not doing it alone. I am surrounded by people who care and want to see us succeed.” Bianca is taking Habitat’s homeownership classes and will work on the build site with her sponsors and volunteers. “Each piece of wood, each nail, each piece of material that makes this house adds years of hope to my family.”

To her sponsors she says, “You have made the impossible dream come true. Habitat is providing me a chance to hand down a legacy to my children.”

At a glance: • Bianca and her three sons live with her father in a three bedroom house. Five people share two closets and school and work are all being conducted in the overcrowded space.

• Bianca has worked for 180 Health Partners as a peer advocate for more than two years.

• “Each piece of wood, each nail, each piece of material that makes this house adds years of hope to my family.”

Build Volunteer General Information Build Day Schedule: All volunteers should arrive by 7:00 a.m. for registration. The build day begins promptly at 7:30 a.m. with a safety meeting. Our goal is to stop work at approximately 3:30 p.m. We build as a community; starting together and ending together.

What to Wear: Sturdy boots are best. Tennis shoes are acceptable. (NO sandals, flip flops, open toes, open heels, high heels, etc.) Wear work clothes appropriate for the weather. (A warm jacket, gloves, and hat if it’s cold, sunscreen, etc.,) Leave jewelry and other valuables at home. Chances are you’ll get dirty!

Construction Zone: The Habitat build site is a working construction zone. Be aware of your surroundings. Look for uneven terrain, electrical cords, nails, and other possible hazards. USE CAUTION. Tools: Habitat Nashville has tools available for everyone at the jobsite. If you bring your own, label them clearly. If they get left or lost at the jobsite, they may be lost forever! Do NOT bring power tools or nail guns of any kind.

Weather Delays: NONE - If you sign up to volunteer, we are counting on you to be there. If weather ever makes the site dangerous, the Construction Director will ensure the safety of all volunteers. If you wake up and it’s raining, put on a poncho and come to the jobsite!

Safety: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville has new safety measures on site this build season. They are: 

    

All volunteers will be given new, personal protective equipment (PPE)-hardhat, safety glasses, gloves and a face covering. Face coverings are required while on the build site. Volunteers may bring their own face coverings, gloves and safety glasses. Personal sunglasses and/or regular glasses will substitute for safety glasses. No PPE will be shared.

Habitat construction staff and SOS will also wear PPE. Habitat volunteers will follow recommended CDC guidelines for social distancing.

Any volunteer or staff member who does not feel well or who is running a temperature, showing signs of acute respiratory illness or difficulty breathing should not come to the build site.

Portalets will be cleaned daily.

In order to provide a safe and sanitary breakfast and lunch option, we have implemented the requirement that all food be served in individual disposable containers (boxed lunch style).

Habitat Nashville is a Drug-Free Workplace. The unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of controlled substances is prohibited on all build sites. Please read the Safety Handbook, before coming to the build site for the first time: Safety Handbook Age Guidelines: No one under 16 is allowed at the build site for any reason. Young people 16 or 17 may volunteer if they are accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age, in a ratio of 1 adult per 5 youth. They may not climb on the roof, use ladders or power tools. Parent/legal guardian must sign their release form. Volunteers should be prepared to show proof of age.

Food: All volunteers and volunteer groups are responsible for providing their own snacks, water, and lunch for the day.

The entire build site will break for lunch at 11:30 am sharp. If you have lunch delivered for a group, it will need to be at the build site by 11:15 am. Breakfast and lunch need to be individually wrapped or boxed.

Habitat does not accept court-mandated community service nor can provide proof of service to the courts.

ANY SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE NEEDS TO BE PRE-APPROVED.

Enter build dates here

Enter coordinator contact information here

Homes for Hardworking Middle Tennesseans Habitat homeowners Michele, Neema and Quashawnta work in the healthcare industry.

Habitat homeowner Theresa works for Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Habitat provides homeownership opportunities for hard working men and women in five counties: Davidson, Dickson, Wilson, Cheatham, and Robertson and operates retail stores, the ReStores, in Davidson, Wilson, and Dickson. Habitat of Greater Nashville was established in 1985 and has built, recycled, or renovated more than 1,285 homes, 920 homes locally, and has served more than 3,268 family members, including more than 2,060 children.

Habitat builds ENERGY STAR certified homes and has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency 11 consecutive years for sustained excellence in affordable housing, which helps homeowners save an average of $25,000 in electric costs over the life of the mortgage.

Homeownership Habitat homes are not free. Habitat of Greater Nashville engages volunteer labor and sponsor support to offer qualifying low-income families a 0% APR 30-year mortgage loan based on the appraised value of the house. To qualify, future homeowners must fall within income guidelines (maximum 80% of area median income), be able to pay for closing costs, make a monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, and be willing to complete the Habitat homeownership training program.

Future homeowners in the program invest at least 200 hours, which includes homeownership classes and working on the build site to earn the opportunity to purchase a Habitat home. The homeownership training program can take 6-12 months.

Bassam has worked as a banquet steward at Omni since 2013.

Mission: Seeking to put God’s love in action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.

www.habitatnashville.org

Volunteers Habitat is a licensed home builder that utilizes volunteer labor to fulfill its mission. Habitat builds in 8-day cycles utilizing volunteers on the weekends with paid subcontractors scheduled during the week to complete code related tasks.

Habitat utilizes an average of 20-25 volunteers per house per day. Build days start at 7:30 a.m. and end in the afternoon when the day’s work is done. Volunteers are also utilized at the ReStore and in the homeownership training program.

Investment Current sponsorship of a Habitat home is $63,000; 100% of sponsor dollars go toward building costs of that home.

More than 90 corporate and faith based organizations, along with additional funding from grants, individual donations, special events, and gifts-in-kind support the mission.

The impact of an investment into Habitat is immeasurable. Statistics show that children who grow up in homes are more likely to graduate from high school and college and to become contributing members of the community. Habitat homeowners pay close to $1 million in property taxes, supporting vital community services.

Retail Habitat of Greater Nashville operates retail centers, the ReStores, in three counties that are open to the public and sell used and new home and office furnishings and building supplies donated from individuals and companies.

Proceeds from the ReStores have helped fund homes for more than 30 hard working families over the last decade.

Individuals who wish to donate to the ReStore can drop their items at any ReStore location, found at: www.habitatnashville.org. For larger items, the ReStore offers FREE pick up by calling: 615-942-1290.

Remodeling? Renovating? Want to save some money and fund good works?

Habitat’s skilled deconstruct professionals will remove your kitchen cabinets, appliances, doors, windows and more for FREE when you donate them to Habitat. Call 615-942-1273 for more information.

Greater Nashville 414 Harding Place, Nashville, TN 37211 615.254.4663

Wilson Division 606 East Main Street Lebanon, TN 37087 615.453.4539

Dickson Division 223 Dickson Plaza Drive Dickson, TN 37055 615.441.9967

www.habitatnashville.org UPDATED 11/14/2019

Cheatham/Robertson Divisions 102 Frey Street Ashland City, TN 37015 615.441.9967

SAFETY HANDBOOK FOR HABITAT VOLUNTEERS This handbook is intended to provide you with a general orientation to volunteering with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville (Habitat Nashville) and a basic understanding of our policies. You are encouraged to familiarize yourself with the contents of this handbook, as it will answer questions related to your volunteer work with Habitat Nashville. However, this handbook cannot anticipate every situation.

Habitat Nashville reserves the right to change, add to, or eliminate policies described below at any time and without notice.

You can find an electronic copy of the Safety Handbook and more information about Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville at: https://www.habitatnashville.org/volunteer

Volunteer Responsibility:        

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I am volunteering to work at Habitat Nashville’s build site at my own risk after reading the Habitat Nashville Safety Handbook.

If for any reason I believe that my working at the build site might endanger myself or others, I must report this to the SVP of Construction immediately.

This might include, among other things, physical impairments, medication (prescription and otherwise that might impair my judgment) or communicable diseases.

If I encounter an injured person at the build site, I should not attempt to provide medical attention to the person unless I am a licensed medical professional.

If I encounter an injured person at the build site, I must notify the assigned Safety Coordinator and the Construction Director immediately.

Habitat volunteers will follow recommended CDC guidelines for social distancing Any volunteer or staff member who does not feel well or who is running a temperature, showing signs of acute respiratory illness or difficulty breathing should not come to the build site.

All volunteers will be given new, personal protective equipment (PPE) – hardhat, safety glasses, gloves and a face covering and will be required to wear these items while on the build site.

Volunteers may bring their own face coverings, gloves and safety glasses. Personal sunglasses and/or regular glasses will substitute for safety glasses. No PPE will be shared.

Habitat construction staff and SOS will also wear PPE. Hand washing stations and hand sanitizer stations will be available at the build site.

Portalets will be cleaned daily.

In order to provide a safe and sanitary breakfast and lunch option, we have implemented the requirement that all food be served in individual disposable containers (boxed lunch style).

414 Harding Place Suite 100 Nashville, TN 37211 Phone (615) 254-HOME (4663)

Our Mission Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.

General Policies Unlawful Harassment and Discrimination Habitat Nashville expects all volunteers to behave in a way that reinforces the Christian mission and founding principles of the organization. All volunteers should be accorded respect and consideration and feel that Habitat Nashville provides a safe and productive environment. Habitat Nashville prohibits any actions or conduct that may discriminate against or harass others.

If you feel that you have been harassed, you should notify the Manager on Duty of your concerns without delay. Habitat Nashville will investigate all claims of harassment.

Resolving Issues with Others As in all workplaces, personal differences may occur among individuals. It is important for you and Habitat Nashville that issues are not allowed to fester and detract from your important contribution to this ministry.

We believe that the quickest way to resolve the issues is to approach the individual(s) involved so that an appropriate solution can be reached. If this initial conversation does not lead to resolution or you feel uncomfortable discussing the matter with the person directly, we ask that you speak with a supervisor or Manager on Duty to resolve the matter.

Workplace Violence Policy Habitat Nashville can best perform its mission when all associates coexist in a climate that supports a free exchange of ideas and utilizes constructive methods of conflict resolution. Habitat is committed to creating and maintaining an environment free from disruptive, threatening and violent behavior.

Habitat Nashville Equipment and Property Please be respectful of Habitat Nashville property, tools, and equipment. Take good care of tools and supplies so that they remain in good and safe working condition. You can help us keep our costs down with proper use and storage of all tools, equipment, and supplies.

Drug and Alcohol Policy Habitat Nashville is a Tennessee Drug Free Workplace. The unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of controlled substances is prohibited at all our work sites. At no time is alcohol permitted at the Habitat Nashville build site, ReStores, or office.

Smoking Habitat Nashville is committed to creating and maintaining an environment that is safe and healthful.

Please refrain from using tobacco products inside Habitat houses.

We’re Proud of our Safety Record Habitat Nashville is especially proud of its safety record. Our injuries consist mostly of a hammer and thumb meeting or simple splinters. We are providing you this booklet to help us maintain an excellent safety record.

Be conscious of the safety of others as well as your own. An observer can often see danger better than the worker involved in the project. Be cautious at all times. Safety is based on knowledge, skill and an attitude of care and concern.

Safety Coordinators We recommend that each sponsor have one person as the designated Safety Coordinator for the job site for each day. The Safety Coordinator will be knowledgeable of everything in this Safety Handbook. The Safety Coordinator’s primary responsibility is to watch for safe working conditions and enforce safety rules.

Supervisors on Site (S.O.S.) Our Supervisors on Site, or S.O.S. as they are called by Habitat Nashville, are skilled volunteers who work with our construction staff to train and supervise you. They will instruct you about the correct and proper procedures for performing each task.

You can identify the S.O.S. volunteer by a nametag, hat or t-shirt.

Guidelines for a Safe Build Be honest about your comfort level. There is no need to be a hero on a Habitat build. If the thought of working at heights bothers you, stay off ladders.

Think about your task. If you are uncertain about how to accomplish your task or how to operate a tool or piece of equipment, ask a supervisor.

If you must use your cell phone, move away from the immediate build area and away from the street to a safe area until you are finished.

Concentrate on the task at hand. Avoid distractions.

Inspect all power tools, hand tools, ladders and scaffolding. If any unsafe tools or conditions come to your attention contact the supervisor immediately.

Proper Safety Equipment Wear appropriate clothing. This is as important to safety as the proper selection and use of tools. Loose clothing is dangerous around power equipment. Workers should wear boots or thick-soled, closed-toe shoes. Any person wearing sandals or flip flops will not be allowed to remain on the job site.

Wear hard hats. They are available onsite and must be worn if anyone is working above you or when determined necessary by the supervisor.

Wear protective eyewear. Eyewear is available onsite and should be worn when using power tools or when determined necessary by the supervisor.

Wear dust masks. Dust masks are available onsite and should be worn when installing insulation or in heavy dust situations.

Wear earplugs. They are available onsite and should be used when subjected to loud noises for an extended period of time.

Power Tools and Other Electrical Devices Wait for proper instruction. Each volunteer should receive instructions before a power tool is used, including what could happen if not used correctly. A supervisor should give instructions to all volunteers, including experienced do-it-yourselfers.

Check for defects. Check all power tools – switches, cords and plugs. Pay special attention to blade guards to make sure they operate correctly. Under no circumstances should you ever disable a blade guard.

Defective tools should not be used and the supervisor should be notified so that they can remove the tool from service immediately.

Examine extension cords. They should be of sufficient size (check with the supervisor) and in good condition. Keep cords out of mud or water and avoid stepping on them.

Hand Tools Select the proper tool. Make sure you are using the right tool for the job at hand and make sure it’s the proper size. If you’re unsure, ask the supervisor.

Check the condition of the tool. Avoid tools with loose handles or tools that are dull. Oil or dirt on a tool can cause it to slip. Make sure the tools are clean.

Hold tools correctly. A hammer should be held at the base of the handle to ensure maximum efficiency, while a knife should be held in such a manner as to allow you to cut away from your body.

Handle and carry all tools with care. Carry only a few tools at a time or carry them in a tool belt with special compartments. Keep sharp or pointed tools pointed away from you. Be conscious of where you lay your tools down. Never lay a hammer down on the slope of a roof or the top of a stepladder.

Use extreme caution with a saw. Never bind a saw blade, especially a power saw. It can result in a very dangerous bucking action that can cause serious injury. Support what you are cutting in a proper fashion to avoid kickback or to prevent a cut board from falling where it could drop on someone.

Nail guns have the potential to cause serious injury. It is important to always use nail guns with caution and to review all safety measures and warnings before using a nail gun. Keep hands and fingers out of the line of fire and aim the gun away from the body and make sure the tool is placed firmly against the work piece.

Ladders Inspect all ladders before use. If the ladder is unsafe, don’t use it. Look for wear and tear, loose rungs and any defects.

Use ladders of proper length. An extension ladder should reach three feet above the work level.

Move your ladder with your work. Don’t lean too far. If both of your shoulders are outside the ladder you are leaning too far and serious injury could occur.

Set your ladder at the proper angle. For every four feet of height, the bottom of the ladder should be one foot away from the wall. You are at the correct angle if, when you place your toes against the base of the ladder and stand erect, you can reach out and grasp the rung at shoulder height.

Place your ladder on solid footing. Avoid mud or gravel. If there is a risk of the ladder slipping, tie or stake the ladder down. If the ladder is not level, dig the ground out from under the high leg rather than “block up” the other leg. Always face the ladder. Carry tools in a container so that your hands are free to climb.

Be cautious with aluminum ladders. Never use an aluminum ladder near electrical lines, in inclement weather or on windy days.

Scaffolding Use the proper scaffolding. All scaffolding must be designed to support four times the weight of the worker and materials resting on it. Special care should be taken to ensure scaffolding components are compatible.

Inspect scaffolding every day. When erecting scaffolding, make sure the legs are resting on adequate sills and that the equipment is plumb and level.

Many scaffolding accidents occur when the walk boards are inadequate or defective. Inspect planking frequently and remove any defective or suspect pieces.

Clean Jobsite & Tool Care Maintain a clean job site. Keeping a neat and organized work site contributes to efficiency and is important in preventing accidents.

Clean up all trash and scrap as you go. Do not allow wood scraps, nails or any trash to pile up. They interfere with work and can be a hazard.

Keep up with tools and equipment that are not being used and return them to the tool container. This protects the tools as well as the workers.

Covid-19 Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville has been actively monitoring the Centers for CDC guidelines and the evolving parameters recommended by the State of Tennessee. We want to assure you that Habitat Nashville is dedicated to protecting the safety and well-being of our volunteers, staff members and partners. As such, the following safety measures have been implemented on site this build season.

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Habitat volunteers will follow recommended CDC guidelines for social distancing Any volunteer or staff member who does not feel well or who is running a temperature, showing signs of acute respiratory illness or difficulty breathing should not come to the build site.

All volunteers will be given new, personal protective equipment (PPE) - hardhat, safety glasses, gloves and a face covering and will be required to wear these items while on the build site.

Volunteers may bring their own face coverings, gloves and safety glasses, personal sunglasses and/or regular glasses will substitute for safety glasses. No PPE will be shared.

Habitat construction staff and SOS will also wear PPE. Hand sanitizer stations will be available at the build site.

Portalets will be cleaned daily.

In order to provide a safe and sanitary breakfast and lunch option, we have implemented the requirement that all food be served in individual disposable containers (boxed lunch style).

Construction Staff & Volunteer Manager Jeremy Lawson jlawson@habitatnashvile.org (615)818-8000 (m) SVP of Construction Chip Wilson cwilson@habitatnashville.org (615)942-1229 (o) (615)633-6111 (m) Human Resource Manager Martha Grindeland mgrindeland@habitatnashville.org (615)942-1217 (o) (615)260-0595 (m) CAO Lucile Houseworth lhouseworth@habitatnashville.org (615)942-1250 (o) (615)210-3554 (m) President and CEO Danny Herron dherron@habitatnashville.org (615)942-1218 (o) (615)305-4095 (m)

Build Coordination Guide

2021 Build Season

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“ROOF TOP” OVERVIEW Sponsoring and building a house with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville

Thank you

for supporting Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville (Habitat) by sponsoring and building with us. Your contribution is immeasurable. Many say that building with Habitat is a gift that keeps on giving as it will touch a future Habitat homeowner’s life for generations to come.

This manual is a resource for you and your organization to use as a guide throughout the planning and building process. We have tried to make it as comprehensive, simple and easy to follow as possible. There is a great deal of information in this packet so don’t be intimidated. After you and your team divide up the responsibilities, planning your build will be a piece of cake!

As you plan your organization’s build, chances are you will have some questions for us. Below is a list of Development team members that you may contact with your build related questions.

We’re at your service…

Poppy Lee Volunteer Relations Manager plee@habitatnashville.org 615.942.1258 (o) / 678.633.2853 (m)

Karel Straughn Sponsor Relations Manager kstraughn@habitatnashville.org 615.942.1280 (o) / 615.403.8986 (m)

Jeremy Lawson Construction Staff & Volunteer Manager jlawson@habitatnashville.org 615.818.8000 (m)

Jackie Russell Development Coordinator jrussell@habitatnashville.org 615.942.1255 (o) / 615.473.5535 (m)

Kevin Roberts Director of Faith Relations kroberts@habitatnashville.org 615.942.1214 (o) / 615.578.6040 (m)

Jeff Bennett Director of Divisions jbennett@habitatnashville.org 615.964.6594 (o) / 304.673.6959 (m)

Danny Herron President & Chief Executive Officer dherron@habitatnashville.org 615.942.1218 (o) / 615.305.4095 (m)

Lauren Payne Senior Vice President of Philanthropy llanepayne@habitatnashville.org 615.942.1256 (o) / 615.498.9595 (m)

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Coordinating Your Build Overview The Build Coordinator is responsible for recruiting and communicating build information with your volunteers, as well as making sure logistics such as food, beverages, and other essentials are taken care of. This person serves as the liaison between the sponsor and Habitat by fielding questions and correspondence between both parties. As Build Coordinator, you can expect to be in communication with Habitat’s Volunteer Relations Manager and/or Sponsor Relations Manager leading up to and during your build.

Keep in mind…

Managing your team As the Build Coordinator, managing your team is a critical part of your build’s success. After you delegate the various planning responsibilities, make sure to determine a timeline with your team and follow up with them on a regular basis.

Recruiting Volunteers Plan to recruit up to 20 build volunteers and 2 hospitality volunteers. Your hospitality volunteers will not work on the build. This position is an opportunity for someone who may not want toto do physical labor but want to be involved. They will provide a no-contact check-in for build volunteers, make nametags, and serve meals, snacks and drinks.

Promising build upgrades to your future Habitat homeowner Please do not promise any upgrades to your future Habitat homeowner. Although this is thoughtful, it is in conflict with our goal of providing a fair and equal starting place for each of our Habitat homeowners.

Pre-construction meeting for volunteers Habitat encourages sponsors to offer an informational meeting for volunteers. It is a time for volunteers to ask questions, and for you to hand out any important materials to them (safety handbook, etc.).

Community and multi-group builds If you are part of a community build, you are either volunteering one day or weekend or you may be participating each build day with other groups. In either case, sponsor groups may want to join together with the other groups to meet your future Habitat homeowner, schedule volunteers, organize food/beverages, purchase the housewarming gift, and plan your dedication ceremony. Habitat can provide the contact information for each of the participating groups.

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Coordinating Your Build – Checklist This list is an overview to help the Build Coordinator plan your build. The Build Coordinator is not responsible for completing each task, but should make sure each task is accomplished.

BEFORE THE BUILD

□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □

Identify and confirm team leaders – delegate responsibilities.

Attend pre-build meeting with Habitat (it is helpful if most team leaders attend this meeting).

Send logo to Sponsor Relations Manager, kstraughn@habitatnashville.org Locate your “Coordinator’s Email” sent from Poppy Lee and familiarize yourself with its contents regarding Habitat’s Volunteer Registration System.

Recruit your volunteers using the Sign-Up Link within the “Coordinator’s Email.”

Manage your signed up volunteers using the Coordinator Portal Hold a pre-construction meeting for your volunteers (this will help you answer many questions at once and provide an opportunity to distribute important information).

Plan food, snacks, and drinks for build day(s).

DURING THE BUILD

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Order/decide on housewarming gift ($650-700 suggested limit)—the housewarming gift is optional.

Plan/confirm details for Dedication o Send name(s) of participant(s), their titles and their dedication roles to the Sponsor Relations Manager.

AFTER THE BUILD

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Thank your volunteers.

Remind your volunteers to visit the photo gallery for their build day https://www.habitatnashville.org/gallery

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Attend your post build meeting.

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Schedule your build for next year!

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Coordinating Your Volunteers Overview Coordinating volunteers includes recruiting, scheduling and organizing the volunteers for your organization’s build. It will be necessary to enlist up to 20 volunteers, plus two hospitality volunteers per build day.

What you need to do…

Recruit ▪ Start recruiting volunteers EARLY! 4 - 6 weeks before your build starts is ideal.

▪ Leverage Habitat’s Volunteer Registration System to sign up and track your volunteers.

▪ Send an email to your potential volunteers announcing the build and your dates, email templates are attached in the “Coordinator’s Email”. This will also include the sign up link for your build day(s).

Schedule ▪ Schedule up to 20 people each day of the build you are sponsoring. You should have no more than 20 build volunteers on any day – this helps preserve the volunteer experience for your group.

▪ Designate 2 hospitality volunteers for the morning to help with the check-in of volunteers, and the setup of food, water, and snack.

▪ We do not offer split shifts and half days. For safety reasons, volunteers are asked to commit to a full day so that they receive proper instruction before they begin building and so all necessary tasks are completed.

Communicate ▪ If you utilize Habitat’s volunteer registration system, it will handle sending all of the build site related details to your volunteers. This includes directions to the site, what to wear, safety handbook, etc.

▪ Communicate. You may email your team to communicate important details about food & drink plans, carpooling, or any other specific information you would like to tell them. A roster can be found in your Coordinator Portal.

▪ Volunteers may ask you if they need to bring tools. We have plenty of tools for everyone to use on site.

If they wish to bring their own hammer, ask them to mark them clearly with their name. Due to safety regulations, we do not allow volunteers to provide their own power tools. It is not Habitat for Humanity’s responsibility if these tools are lost during the day.

Organize ▪ Build Information o Habitat will send necessary build information to every volunteer who is signed up through the Habitat Registration System.

▪ Release and Waiver of Liability o All volunteers will need to complete an online release form before volunteering. This step is completed when all volunteers sign up for their volunteer shift. A volunteer will not be able to sign up online without agreeing to the terms and providing an e-signature.

▪ Build Day Check-in –Your hospitality volunteers will check in your volunteers each day (see next page).

Check-in is from 7:00am to 7:30am. Be sure that the hospitality volunteers keep an eye out for anyone arriving late to ensure they check-in properly.

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Please keep in mind…

Age Requirements ▪ ▪

▪

No one under 16 is allowed on the job-site during the build day for any reason. This is non-negotiable under Habitat International insurance policies for safety reasons.

Volunteers 16-17 years of age may volunteer with signed parental consent (Volunteer Release Form) and must have at least 1 adult chaperone (at least 21 years of age) per 5 youth. These volunteers may not operate power tools, climb ladders, or be on roofs. Landscaping days are best for 16-17 year old volunteers.

All ages may attend the Dedication Ceremony.

Checking in Your Volunteers at the Build Site *Please distribute and review this information with anyone who will check-in volunteers at the build site.

Build Morning Checklist (what to do when you arrive)

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Arrive to the build site at 7:00am.

Set up breakfast— there will be tables provided for you. The hospitality volunteers will need to wear the nitrate gloves (found in the registration box) to hand out breakfast to your volunteers.

Locate registration box – This will be on the provided tables. The registration box will contain everything you need to check-in volunteers. Contents you can expect to find: Forms – your volunteer roster report, safety handbook, volunteer checklist, nitrate gloves, cleaning supplies, pens, sharpies, duct tape - for nametags, scissors, and a small first aid kit. Please note: no personal items should be stored in this box.

Take roll call — Take roll call for your group. All volunteers who signed up online will be listed on your roster list. If they are not, they will need to sign up using the link sent to you. Please then write their name and emergency contact information on the roster list.

Make a nametag for each volunteer – using the duct tape and sharpie marker, make a nametag for each volunteer Make sure everyone has read the Safety Handbook.

Introduce your volunteers to the future Habitat homeowner if they are on site.

Build Afternoon Checklist

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Help break down the food table / registration area.

Make sure volunteers are helping clean up tools, trash, and materials on the job-site.

Leave registration box at the site. Please DON’T take your box home with you.

Photographer on Site…

There will be a photographer on site to take action shots of each group. Please ask volunteers to be patient if asked to stop for photos. The Sponsor Relations Manager will share the link to all photos with you as soon as they are available the week after your build at the following URL: http://habitatnashville.org/gallery.

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Using the Volunteer Registration System Overview Our volunteer registration system allows coordinators to easily recruit, sign up, and manage their volunteers for their build day(s). This system will allow Habitat to send all of the necessary build information directly to the volunteers (see Figure F).

Read the Coordinator’s Email – Step 1 Shortly after your prebuild meeting, you will receive an email similar to the one on the next page (see Figure A).

This email will include instructions on using the volunteer system, including a Build Day Sign-Up Link for volunteers to select their volunteer day(s) (see Figure B). Please be sure to bookmark this link for later use or save the email so you can access it later if necessary.

Recruit Your Volunteers – Step 2 After you familiarize yourself with the Coordinator’s Email, you will be ready to begin recruiting and signing up your build volunteers. Listed below are ways you may put the Build Day Sign-Up Link into action.

1. Email the SIGN-UP link to your office, department, group or congregation. This is best done in a ‘build announcement’ email. You can send the future Habitat homeowner bio, sign up links and other information. Habitat has template emails for your use. *Make sure the link works after you copy & paste.

2. Post the sign-up link to your organization’s Facebook page or other social media. Make sure to copy the link as it is into a post on your social media platform. Volunteers may click on the link and sign themselves up for whichever day they plan to volunteer.

3. Place the link on your organization’s website. Make sure to always include the date and time options along with the link. This will allow all possible volunteers to know when and what they are signing up for.

4. Post an announcement flyer at your church/office/etc. We have included a PDF flyer as an attachment in the coordinator email that can be posted in a physical location where potential volunteers will see it.

Note about Volunteer Release Forms – all volunteers are required to read the terms of the Release and Waiver of Liability before they can sign up for any build day. Volunteers will select their build date, and then follow the directions on DocuSign to complete their registration. See Figure B for an example how it will show up on the web page. Volunteers will have to agree to the terms and provide an e-signature to complete their sign up (Figures D and E).

Manage Your Volunteers – Step 3 Now that volunteers are signing up, you can view your progress via the Coordinator Portal. Please refer to Figure F for a visual example. Using this portal, you can track the names and count of volunteers for each build day, and access their email addresses in case you need to contact them.

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Figure A. Sample Coordinator’s Email – you will receive this from Poppy Lee at Habitat Coordinator, My name is Poppy Lee, Volunteer Relations Manager at Habitat, and I will be your resource to help recruit and sign up volunteers for your upcoming build. Below you will find a link to sign up volunteers for your build day(s) and a second link to manage your volunteer roster. Please read this email carefully and let me know if you have any questions. You can reply to this email or call my mobile (678.633.2853) at any time if you have a question or problem.

1. Sign Up Link: To manage the sign ups for your build day(s), click the link below and BOOKMARK it to visit later. You will distribute it to your volunteers so they can add themselves to the volunteer roster.

Sign up your team from here: Sign up here See figure B 2. SEND THE LINK TO POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS: To sign-up builders, you will need to send the above link to your potential volunteers. It is important that all volunteers sign up via this link so that they receive email instructions for their build day and complete the release form.

Tip – The most popular way to distribute the sign up links is through an email announcement to your group. For your convenience, we have attached a template for your build announcement email. You can also post the link on your organization’s website or social media platforms.

3. SAFETY MEASURES: Please be sure to include details on the measures Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville has on site this build season to keep our volunteers safe. They include: •

• • • •

All volunteers will be given new PPE- hardhat, safety glasses, gloves and a face covering. Face coverings are required while on the build site. Volunteers may bring their own face coverings, gloves and safety glasses. Personal sunglasses and/or regular glasses will substitute for safety glasses. No PPE will be shared.

Habitat volunteers will follow recommended CDC guidelines for social distancing.

Any volunteer or staff member who does not feel well or who is running a temperature, showing signs of acute respiratory illness or difficulty breathing should not come to the build site.

Hand sanitizer stations will be available at the build site.

In order to provide a safe and sanitary breakfast and lunch option, we have implemented the requirement that all food be served in individual disposable containers (boxed lunch style).

4. AFTER VOLUNTEERS SIGN UP: They will receive automated emails containing GENERAL information about the build including directions to the site, a basic schedule, build information, and the safety handbook. These emails will be sent out 10 days and 3 days prior to their build. For volunteers to receive this information, they must be entered in the system. Any information regarding food/drink, carpooling, t-shirts, etc., should be communicated by you separately.

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See figure F

5. YOUR VOLUNTEER ROSTER: You can access your volunteer roster through your Coordinator Portal.

Once volunteers begin registering to build, you will be able to manage the signups through your coordinator link Here. This site is protected with the case sensitive password, xxx. You will use this page to stay on top of your recruitment progress. If ever anything does not look right you have any questions, please contact me and allow up to 2 business days for me to make any adjustments.

6. ONCE A DAY IS FULL: Your build day(s) is set to accept 22 volunteer sign-ups. 20 build volunteer and 2 hospitality volunteers. The ability to sign up will close once the day is full. If you would like the option to keep a waitlist of extra volunteers, please let the me know.

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Figure B. Volunteer Sign Up Page – Overview This page is where volunteers sign up for their chosen volunteer date(s) and sign the waiver. PLEASE NOTE: ALL VOLUNTEERS MUST READ THE RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY BEFORE SIGNING UP FOR A BUILD DATE.

The option will become unavailable once the day is full.

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Figure C. Volunteer Sign Up Page – Details

Your logo here

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Figure D. Volunteer Sign-Up Form After selecting their build date(s) volunteers will need to enter their information into the form below.

Volunteer SignUp Form

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Figure E. DocuSign

The DocuSign must be completed to successfully sign up.

Volunteers must select “finish” to be successfully registered

Once volunteers have read the release, they will need to click on both the date and signature field to date and sign the waiver.

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Figure F. Volunteer Roster This roster is where coordinators can view who has signed up for each build day and can be used to review the progress of signing up the total needed volunteers for each day.

Your logo here

Volunteer email addresses can be copied into an email message to send individual or group emails

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Figure G. Information your volunteers will receive from Habitat Volunteers will receive reminders 10 & 3 days prior to their build day. You will need to communicate any details regarding food, drink, etc.

Dear John Smith, Thanks for signing up to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville! You are now on the schedule to build with your group. Please read through the information below as well as the attachments to this email.

These contain important and useful information relative to your build day.

Your Build Date: XXXXX Volunteers should arrive by 7:00am and plan to stay until 3:30pm. A safety orientation will begin promptly at 7:30am.

Your Build Location: XXXXX, Nashville, TN This address brings you to the entrance of the parking lot, NOT the build site. Volunteers will be directed by Habitat staff members to the build site. Please allow for a 15 minute walk from the parking lot to the build site.

Important Information: 1. Dress accordingly. Work clothes and work boots are best. Closed toe shoes are required. Make sure to read the attached Build Information sheet and dress appropriately for the weather. Check the Weather 2. Follow the attached directions and park in the designated parking lot. IF YOU CAN CAR-POOL, PLEASE DO! Please arrive by 7:00am.

3. Please be patient – We are building several homes at once, after the safety orientation, it might take some time for the SOS and construction staff to get everyone working.

4. Food and Drinks – All groups have been asked to plan lunch, snacks, and water for their volunteers (for specifics, contact your group leader).

5. Please be aware, masks are required whilst on the build site.

Thank you for volunteering with us and we look forward to seeing you on the build site!

Poppy Lee / Volunteer Relations Manager Habitat For Humanity of Greater Nashville plee@habitatnashville.org 414 Harding Place, Suite 100, Nashville, TN 37204 www.habitatnashville.org Building Better Lives

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Coordinating Your Group’s Food Overview Food is an important part of the build site experience. Providing your volunteers breakfast, lunch, snacks, and water will help give them the energy they need to complete the build tasks for the day. Coordinating food is a part of the hospitality volunteer’s duties and is a good way to involve team members that can’t build, but still want to contribute.

➔ NOTE: Sponsors are asked to provide food and drinks for all volunteers building on your house. This includes your volunteers, future Habitat homeowners, Habitat construction staff, and Supervisors on Site (S.O.S.).

What you need to do…

Breakfast

□

□ □

Provide breakfast for 20 people.

Suggested items for breakfast include: o Individual boxed/bagged breakfast with items such as apples, bananas, egg and cheese biscuits o Water, coffee, hot cocoa, fruit juice o Avoid serving only sweets, volunteers will need protein!!!

Set up breakfast by 7:00 am so volunteers can eat before the safety meeting at 7:30 am.

The hospitality volunteer will need to distribute breakfast to volunteers.

Lunch

□

□ □

Provide a hearty lunch for 30 people. (or your group number plus 10 to include future Habitat homeowners and construction staff) Suggested items for lunch include BOXED LUNCHES ONLY: o Meat sandwiches, hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, chili, burritos, barbeque, tacos o Fruit salad, pasta salad, chips, cookies, brownies o Avoid food items that can go bad in the heat o Be sure to include some vegetarian options Make sure lunch is ready by 11:15 am. All houses will break for lunch at 11:30 am sharp. If food arrives earlier, please keep volunteers building until 11:30 am. Your supervisor on site will announce when to break for lunch. It is very helpful to Habitat staff and S.O.S. when everyone breaks for lunch at the same time.

Provide a hearty lunch with a few options to accommodate various dietary needs. We have vendors listed below who will do boxed lunches.

Snacks

□

Make snacks available to your volunteers throughout the day.

Suggested items for snacks include: o Bananas, apples, cookies, protein bars, granola bars, trail mix, etc. o Individually wrapped snacks are easiest.

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Water

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Provide 6-8 cases of water per day. On extremely hot days, you may go through more. In addition to water, you can provide sports drinks like Gatorade and PowerAde. Be sure to bring coolers for water bottles.

Additional Items to Bring: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Coolers for ice and water Hand Sanitizer Trash Bags Utensils Paper Towels Plates

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Sunscreen or other seasonal items Coffee Cups Cream/Sugar Extra Tables (optional) Extra Popup Tent (optional) 2-3 Chairs for Hospitality Volunteers (optional)

Food and Supply Deliveries: People bringing food, drinks, or supplies for the build may drive straight to the build site and can deliver at the house. They may use the address 0 Lindsay Meadow CT, Nashville TN 37207. Please note, this not your final destination, so please do not knock on the door. This is simply the closest address in Google Maps to the build site. From here, Habitat staff will be on site to help direct to your site. After unloading, we kindly ask you to move your car promptly to the designated parking area at 3022 Aldrich Lane, Nashville TN 37207.

What Habitat Provides: ▪ ▪

One 10’x10’ popup tent and 2 folding tables – These items can be found near your lot each morning.

Power access – Bring a long extension cord if you want to use power.

Helpful Tips: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

▪

Make the coffee at home and bring in a thermal container OR buy disposable containers of coffee at Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, and other locations.

Keep sugary foods and drinks to a minimum because they have been known to cause upset stomachs as well as sugar highs and lows.

Check with your volunteers and future Habitat homeowner regarding diet restrictions to ensure that everyone has plenty to eat and drink (someone might be vegetarian or have religious restrictions).

Ask vendors you use regularly, for example, a caterer, if they are willing to donate food or provide a price break. Also, many local restaurants will either donate or offer a discount if you tell them why you need the food.

Please be aware, Habitat for Humanity is not legally able to provide sponsors/volunteer groups our tax exempt number for purchases of food and water.

Recommended Food Vendors: Habitat has used the below vendors for various build site food deliveries with good success.

▪ ▪ ▪

Panera Bread (breakfast & lunch) ▪ 615.352.1306 – ask for Megan Andelman Jason’s Deli (breakfast & lunch) ▪ 615.340.9991– ask for Jessie Taziki’s (lunch only) ▪ 615.651.4583 – ask for Travis Laha

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▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Mitchell Deli (lunch only) ▪ 615.905.6354 – ask for Ruth Miller Jersey Mike’s (lunch only) ▪ 615.618.1257 – tell them you are building with Habitat and ask for discount (10-20%) Moe’s (lunch only) ▪ 615.715.3483 Hunt Brother’s Pizza (lunch only) ▪ 615.330.9034 – ask for Patricia Hunt Chick-fil-A (lunch only) ▪ 615.743.3941 Apple Spice (lunch only) ▪ 615.873.1661

Your Future Habitat Homeowner Overview The future Habitat homeowner is one of the main reasons you’re here! Getting to know the future Habitat homeowner you will help and build with is a special part of the Habitat experience. They will be onsite when their work schedules allow them to be, but we cannot guarantee it.

Temporarily, for the health and safety of all and in accordance with CDC guidelines, we are suspending in person meetings but can arrange a video introduction or Zoom call with your future Habitat homeowner.

Just let us know what you would like to do.

What you should know… ➔

Some future Habitat homeowners are very outgoing and will reach out to the volunteers with enthusiasm. Other families may be shy and not take the initiative, especially if English is their second language. One thing to remember, no matter what kind of personality they may have, they are all extremely grateful for your support and definitely looking forward to building with your volunteers.

Planning Your Housewarming Gift Overview Often times, after spending a day building with the future Habitat homeowner, a strong friendship is formed and subsequently sponsors desire to give a personal gift. Presenting your future Habitat homeowner with a housewarming gift is optional.

If you would like to purchase a housewarming gift…

□ □ □

Ask Habitat to give you a housewarming idea for the future Habitat homeowner. We can ask them discreetly if there is anything specific they may need.

Coordinate with other sponsors if you are part of a community build.

We recommend housewarming gifts be part of the Dedication Ceremony.

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Habitat is not supposed to be involved as this is optional participation on the part of each sponsor.

What you should know…

➔

If you decide to get a gift, please keep it around +/- $700. This keeps all future Habitat homeowner and sponsors on the same page.

Gift Suggestions A washer/dryer set is the most popular housewarming gift. Other ideas are: living room furniture, bedroom set, new mattress, kitchen appliances, gift card (for Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, a furniture store, etc.), stock the future Habitat homeowner’s pantry and refrigerator.

Delivery/Installation of Gift (if applicable) The housewarming gift, if needing installation of any kind, must be delivered after the future Habitat homeowner closes on their home. Give your future Habitat homeowner the contact information so they can schedule delivery directly with the store.

Hermitage Habitat and Hermitage have an arrangement for a Whirlpool Estate Large Capacity Washer and Dryer to be bought for Habitat families by their sponsors for about $700 plus tax and delivery.

Contact: Heather Robinson, Appliance Manager heatherr@gohermitage.com Phone: (615) 843-3345

Hermitage (615) 843-3300 531 Lafayette Street Nashville, TN 37203

➔ You will need the following information upon purchase: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Name of your future Habitat homeowner New Habitat address for future Habitat homeowner Phone number for future Habitat homeowner Closing date (gift may be delivered on or after this date)

Dedication Ceremony Overview The dedication ceremony is one of the happiest parts of the build. Your house ceremony is a special time to reflect on the build, recognize key people, and hand your future Habitat homeowner the keys to their new home! Please note, due to the current environment, we are no longer hosting group dedications. However, we do encourage a representative from your organization to be in attendance.

To help plan your dedication ceremony…

Early in the build

□ □

Decide who from your organization will participate in your house ceremony.

Send the names and titles of your participants to your Habitat contact at least 3 weeks prior to dedication.

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□

Arrange the housewarming gift if you are giving one. There is a role for “presentation of housewarming gift” if applicable.

Week before Dedication

□ □

You will receive an email from the Sponsor Relations Manager with all the detail of the dedication and the order of the program.

Confirm and remind your dedication participants of their roles in dedication and the date and time.

Keep in mind…

Parking on Dedication Day Habitat will communicate a designated parking area with all attendees.

Individual House Dedications Sponsors, volunteers and families will speak at the Individual House Dedications at the future Habitat homeowner’s new home. Habitat kindly requests you provide names and titles of the representatives from your organization to the Sponsor Relations Manager. Below is a sample agenda: ▪

Welcome and Presentation of American Flag: Habitat representative This person will help you facilitate your individual house dedication ceremony. They will have the House Keys, and scissors used to cut the ribbon.

▪

Sponsor Remarks: _____________________ Project Chair(s) of the build or President/Officer of the sponsoring company or the minister or religious leader. This is a time for the sponsors to express their feelings about the house, the future Habitat homeowner, their employees or congregation, etc. Some sponsors talk about the bonding experience, learning process, and what the build has meant to them.

▪

Volunteer Recognition: _____________________ Project Chair of the build, President/Officer of sponsoring company or the Volunteer Coordinator for the sponsor. This is a good opportunity to recognize individuals that participated above and beyond, were out at the job site a lot, etc. If food or other items were donated, you might mention them here. And of course at this point you’ll talk about the wonderful participation from your fabulous volunteers! Or, there may be a particular individual who really made the build run smoothly.

▪

Presentation of Keys: _____________________ Project Chair of the build or the President/Officer of the sponsoring company or the minister or religious leader. Presentation of the keys is when the culmination of their Habitat homeownership journey becomes real to the Habitat homeowner. *Script/Talking Points Available.

▪

Housewarming Gifts: _____________________ At this time, the housewarming gifts will be presented to the Homeowner. The Homeowner will receive an itemized list of the gifts and entities that provided them.

▪

Homeowner Remarks: _ Opportunity for Homeowner to say thank you and little about their journey.

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▪

Presentation of Bible or framed blessing and Blessing of Home: Future Habitat homeowner’s religious leader__________________ Future Habitat homeowner’s minister or religious leader. Some families choose not to do this, in which case someone from the sponsoring group may bless the home.

▪

Ribbon Cutting: