Join us for a fun filled adventure on the beautiful island of Kauai, Hawaii.  Soak up the sunshine, make new friends, enjoy the Hawaiian culture and be part of our team, while building a home for a local family. No building experience necessary, just a willingness to make a difference!

About Kaua’i
Kaua’i is a rural tropical island, the northern most of the Hawaiian Island chain. Its population is approximately 67,000. The island is small, at only 25 miles wide and 33 miles long. Kaua’i’s main economic industry is tourism. Kaua’i is an ethnically diverse community with Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Portuguese, Caucasian, Samoan and Tahitian residents.

With the influx of affluent tourist and vacation homes and rentals, however, the cost of living and housing in Kaua’i has increased dramatically. There is a consistent shortage of housing for local residents and an even more dramatic shortage of affordable housing for low-income families. The average single-family home price is $460,000 and the median income for a family of four is $76,300. Most working class families cannot afford to own their own homes.

The island also suffers a large homeless problem, with many families living on the beach, in their cars, in carports or with relatives. Working class families also cannot find homes to rent and purchasing a home is often not possible.

About Kaua’i Habitat for Humanity
Kaua’i Habitat for Humanity's mission is to eliminate substandard housing, and in the process, improve communities. Kaua’i Habitat was formed in 1993 and has built more than 112 homes to date. More than 50 percent of our builds have been for Native Hawaiian families (2013). Kauai Habitat also has helped more than 25 local families with low cost repairs and renovations to their existing homes through their repair and renovation program. Kaua’i Habitat works with many families who earn between 30 to 80 percent of the median income. It most recently launched the Ele'ele Iluna Home Development Project, which will include an additional 100 new construction homes.

Learn more at http://www.kauaihabitat.org.

Types of construction for volunteers
A variety of new home construction or repair and renovation projects awaits our dedicated volunteers.

Standard itinerary (sample itinerary only, subject to change - all dates and activities must be confirmed with the affiliate)
(10-day itinerary)
Day 1 (Arrival day Tuesday): Greeted at the Kaua’i airport by team leader; dinner and team meeting.
Day 2 (Wednesday): Morning affiliate orientation, then free day for team building activities, cultural activities; adjusting to the time change, beaches and dinner.
Days 3–5 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) Work day: Breakfast before traveling to work site; circle up/safety briefing on the job site; volunteer service from 8 a.m.– 4 p.m. with lunch on-site;  free time after work to clean up; time for team activities. Special events throughout the week may include local cultural activities, farmers markets, beach visits, hiking, etc.
Days 6-7 (Sunday-Monday): Free days for cultural activities, sightseeing, hiking, beach, etc.
Days 8-9 (Tuesday-Wednesday) (volunteer days) Breakfast before traveling to work site; circle up/safety briefing on the job site; work from 8 a.m.– 4 p.m. with lunch on-site; free time after work to clean up. Day 9: sunset “Mahalo” (thank you) celebration with staff, volunteers and Kauai Habitat families.
Day 10 (Thursday): Departure day – team leader transfers everyone to the airport (most flights to mainland USA depart late afternoon or evening).

Accommodations
Kaua’i Habitat for Humanity owns a five-bedroom, three-bath home that is used to host volunteer crews. The volunteer house has a full kitchen, with laundry facilities, internet (and WiFi) and a distant view of the ocean. Best of all, our neighbors are Habitat homeowners. 

You may want to arrive prior to the workweek or make plans to stay post-trip for exploring more of Kaua’i! However, you will need to make your own arrangements for hotel and transportation.

Trip Cost
$1750
(For more details about what is included in this cost, visit Global Village program cost.)

Team leader
Jan Roberta lead this great team of fun loving, dedicated volunteers. 

Jan, who is from Connecticut, has attended eight Jimmy Carter Work Projects in the states and abroad. She was also a team member on two Global Village trips: one to Romania and one to Kauai. This will be her fourth Kauai Global Village trip as a leader. 

Please contact Jan at mcurrier02@snet.net with questions, or to discuss your interest in joining the team. We look forward to hearing from you.