House to Home: Building with Habitat

Thirteen VAA employees volunteered in South St. Paul with Habitat for Humanity (Habitat). With a range of construction skill levels, the team was divided into groups to work on various aspects of the build. One larger group of employees framed and nailed sheathing (plywood attached to studs) in the garage and installed the scaffolding for the garage roof. A smaller group framed and almost completely installed a back porch.

Crystal Hoen, a VAA outreach participant and first-time Habitat volunteer, said the build was valuable service and team building. “It’s a totally different experience building a garage with your office coworkers. It was fun to see different strengths come together to get the job done. The build gave us an opportunity to see a design come together in the field, work with VAA people outside our usual teams and help a family in need.”

Locally, Habitat helps low income families in the Twin Cities community through programs like Habitat Homebuilding, A Brush with Kindness and Family Support Services. The organization as a whole operates worldwide, dedicated to empowering families by helping them “acquire the access, skills and financial education necessary for them to be successful homeowners.” Learn more about the organizations work or volunteering on the Twin Cities Habitat website.