Habitat for Humanity of Adams-Juneau County is always looking for new volunteers. With spring just around the corner, our need will grow in the coming months. Our volunteers donated over six hundred hours last year to help our affiliate and our ReStore get things done. This is just a small part of an international effort by over a million people who volunteer with Habitat each year.

Volunteering with our affiliate does not require any knowledge of construction. Volunteers can work on construction, repair, or various other roles. Advocating for Habitat is another important volunteer role which helps build the visibility of our organization in the community.

Volunteers help out in all sorts of areas at the ReStore. Do you enjoy working with customers? Cashiering and customer service might be a good role for you. Have knowledge of doors, windows, and hardware supplies? Work in our back room to help prepare, stock, and display our products. Other roles include donation pick-up, office work, deconstruction, and testing or repairing of items. For more on all these opportunities, click here.

In addition to all these individual roles, we invite large groups to take on special events and projects. Call 608-847-2000 to sign up with your friends, business, youth group, Key Club, or any other type of group. We look forward to working with you.

Photo credit Chris Haugen/Habitat for Humanity International

We are happy to announce that Sarah Manning has been chosen for the Habitat home currently under construction on Cedar Street in Adams. The Adams-Friendship High School construction class is building the home, and should be finished by the end of the school year.

Sarah has lived in the Adams area her entire life. She and her children Shawn (7) and Seth (4) are currently staying with her aunt. She works at Moundview Memorial Hospital & Clinics as a Medical Assistant. Shawn and Seth go to school in Adams.

Sarah and her kids are looking forward to moving into their new home this year. Shawn and Seth are thrilled that they will be able to choose the paint color in their own rooms, and Sarah is excited for the family to have a place that is truly theirs.

The Manning family will contribute hundreds of hours of “sweat equity” to help build their new home. Sarah will be volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Mauston. The family will buy the home with a modest interest-free mortgage offered by Habitat. As Sarah put it “I’m ready to have my own space, and my own responsibilities.”

Since becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA at Habitat for Humanity of Adams-Juneau County last April, Dane DeVetter has left his mark on the organization. As our Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator, Dane developed two new websites, managed volunteers, planned events, and took on all kinds of tasks around the Mauston ReStore. The VISTA program is designed to fight poverty by putting people in roles that help increase the capacity of non-profit organizations. AmeriCorps members have served with our organization since 2010, and Dane’s contributions to the volunteer program and online presence of our local affiliate and ReStore will last long into the future.

After completing his one-year service commitment in April, Dane will continue working with Habitat for Humanity of Wisconsin as he takes on the role of VISTA Leader. In his new position, Dane will help ensure a positive experience for VISTA members and their respective Habitat affiliates around the state. “I am very excited to start in my new role and get a better idea of all the great work that VISTAs are doing around the state,” says Dane, whose new role is based at the Habitat offices in Milwaukee but will take him to Habitat affiliates throughout Wisconsin.

Upon assuming the role of VISTA Leader in April, Dane will be starting his third term of service with AmeriCorps. His first term took place in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where he worked with volunteers to rebuild homes and businesses damaged by the flood of June 2008. He hopes to serve in the Peace Corps following his term as VISTA Leader.