Community Service for Construction

Opportunities for community service hours are available for those who need to perform such service for school, court, parole officer, or at a lawyers suggestion. You can perform community service either at the construction site or at the Habitat ReStore.

Those who wish to perform community service at the construction sites must:

• Be able to commit to begin work first thing in the morning, depending on the time of year this is 7am or 8am.  We work Tuesday through Saturday.
• Provide their own basic tools: hammer, tape measure, pencil, nail apron.
• Be at least 16 years of age.
• Not have court ordered community service that requires us to report your hours on a weekly basis - those who are 18 and over and have court ordered community service can perform it at one of the Habitat ReStores.
• For court ordered or recommended community service we reserve the right to decline having you participate based on the specific charges.

Steps for community service in construction:

• Before you wish to begin, contact Beth Van Gorp at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 704-716-7077 to receive a community service time card. Depending on the time of year and the work available, we may not have opportunities available every day, every week and unfortunately we won't know the exact schedule until that week.
• We work Tuesday - Saturday. Follow the instructions on this web site on our weekly schedule to find out where we are working.
• When you arrive, identify yourself to the Habitat representative as someone performing community service. Have the Habitat representative at the site sign the form each time you work.  
• When you complete your hours, return the time card to the Volunteer Coordinator at the Habitat office. Only when you have completed your community service hours will a letter be given to you.  It is your responsibility to ensure that your hours are recorded and return your time card to office.

Special instructions for Youth and Construction: Community Service volunteers must be at least 16 to work in construction. Volunteers who are 16 or 17 must have a parent or guardian sign a Minor's Release of Liability and are not allowed to work on the roof, on ladders or scaffolding above 6 feet, or use power tools.

Other Important Notes:

• Each person will need to sign a form, releasing Habitat from liability in case of an accident. We require all volunteers/community service workers to have health insurance.
• Wear comfortable clothes that you do not mind getting dirty or paint splattered. Wearing closed toed shoes (work boots or tennis shoes) is also important on a construction site. Sandals are not allowed.
• In order to complete your hours you must plan your time well in advance. Habitat assumes no responsibility for providing work for you to do on the dates and times you want to do it.
• Hours are accumlated for time served and so hours are deducted for the lunch break.
• The tasks that you will perform will vary from day to day and may include general construction tasks (framing, siding, drywall, painting, picking up trash, digging). Habitat will assign you to the task where you are most needed.
• Please be prepared for the possibility that we may not need your services if the weather is inclement. We also don't work on major holidays. Community service workers are expected to work an entire day under most circumstances.

After your community service is over, if you would like to continue to volunteer with Habitat please let us know.

General Information - ReStore

Community service workers also may work at the one of the Habitat ReStores located at 3326 Wilkinson Boulevard or 1133 Wendover. This can be a great option if you do not have tools, need to complete a large number of hours in a short period of time, or need more flexibility in times. Morning and afternoon shifts available.

If your community service placement requires weekly reporting you must do your community service at the ReStore. Visit the Charlotte ReStore Website for more information.

If you would like to perform your community service, call 704-716-7040 ext. 2 for details.

Youth ages 14 and 15 can perform community service at the store, but must be accompianed by a parent or guardian.