Featured News

Hello RV Care-A-Vanners,

The Care-A-Vanner desk has been so busy lately that my golf game and my Facebook page have suffered! However, that is a great thing for the RV Care-A-Vanner program. You builders have lots of builds to choose from. We are getting more families into safe, decent, affordable housing and we are going to carry that momentum into Springfield for our 25th Anniversary Build and Rally. If you have not signed up yet for this event, do so now. I'd sign up just to get the cool, one-of-a-kind T-shirt we have designed for the event, our gift to you for attending.

Let me back up my "busy" claims with some just released numbers from July 2013 through December 2013 when we served 260 families, up from 226 families in the same time period in 2012. Our hours worked increased from 39,895 to 43,267 and our builds increased from 62 to 76. We are always busier in the January through June time period and if we can get out and cover all the builds I have listed to date for the first half of 2014, we will be over 200 builds for this fiscal year, up from 169 last year. I am not the only one working hard. You folks are doing a great job of meeting the increased demand for RV Care-A-Vanners.

I hope to see you all in Springfield where I can thank you all personally for supporting our program and the mission of Habitat for Humanity.

Drive, Build and Bond to Springfield!

God Bless.

Mary Vandeveld
RV Care-A-Vanner coordinator
[email protected]
Facebook

Breaking news:
In conjunction with some seminars that are being offered by HFHI's Disaster Response department at our rally in Springfield, we are considering offering another disaster response course for RV Care-A-Vanners. At completion of the course, trainees will become RV Care-A-Vanner rebuild team members. The course is structured to educate you about disasters, what to expect, why things happen the way they do and how you can best help. Our first group of Care-A-Vanners that took the course in Americus in March 2013 were very pleased with the experience. The RV Care-A-Vanner program is getting more and more requests to be involved in rebuild efforts around the country and what I have the most requests for is construction leadership. I know we have a lot of you out there who are qualified to be house leaders, so why not round out your experience with disaster response trainin? If you are interested in taking the course or would like more information, please contact me at [email protected].

Windows to Washington

Ah, February, a month when many people think of flowers, chocolate, jewelry and other trinkets of love. That gooey stuff has its place, but here in DC, we're thinking more about tough love: mortgages. One common misconception about Habitat is that we "give away houses." No, sir and no, ma'am, as you dedicated volunteers know, our families work with us to build their own houses and then handle monthly mortgage payments once they move in.

We continue to show love at Habitat by providing assistance and training even after new homeowners have accepted their keys. "We're treated like family," said Mr. Noel Sindihokubwabo, a Dallas Habitat homeowner. You can read more about how ongoing opportunities have impacted his family in the March edition of Habitat World magazine.

At Habitat, we know the life-changing impact a hand up (not a handout) can make. But to keep "showing the love" to our partner families, we need laws that show love to our unique model. You may have read recently about how Habitat was swept up in the reforms intended to address the economic woes the U.S. experienced in 2010.

Congress passed these reforms, known as Dodd-Frank, with the good intention of protecting taxpayers by creating a regulatory framework for many financial transactions, including mortgage origination and servicing. While Congress wanted to stop predatory lending that targeted low-income families and contributed to the foreclosure crisis, the new law had unintended consequences for nonprofits providing responsible low-income homeownership opportunities, including Habitat.

Unlike commercial entities, we provide homes to our partner families at no profit and finance with affordable loans. While we've developed training for our affiliates to comply with the new law, we'd love to see common sense relief from three narrow but critical mortgage, servicing and appraisal requirements that could impede Habitat's mission to offer affordable homes for families in need of decent housing. Last November, Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC) introduced the Protecting Habitat Homeownership Act with Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Congressman Patrick E. Murphy (D-FL) to protect Habitat's important work.

This targeted legislation enjoys bipartisan support, showing there is still some love between Republicans and Democrats to come together and provide for those in need. To learn more about how this bill can show love to low-income families, read this piece by Frank Spencer, CEO of Habitat Charlotte, or this coverage in Mortgage News Daily. If you'd like to see the fixes in this bill enacted, contact your Representative and encourage him or her to support H.R. 3529, the Protecting Habitat Homeownership Act.

Piper Hendricks and the GRA team
[email protected]
202-239-4420

Accomplishments

Remember: Send Mary Vandeveld photos of your builds or newspaper articles. If you would like to submit anything to the newsletter � a good story, a new way to do things, a construction tip or an update on a build � please do. This includes our partner affiliates! This is your newsletter, and we welcome the input. Besides, you have got to be getting tired of hearing from only me! Send your contributions to [email protected]. I want to hear from all of you!

Team leader corner

We are sending a big thank-you to our January team leaders. They are Dyana Todd; John and Katherine Dech; Larry and Carol Russell; Bill and Candace Leemaster; Terry and Karen Kidd; Sue and Lavern Clarke; William and Rosemary McLaughlin; Jack and Mary Mueller; Fred Winslow and Sharon Adair; Gord and Helen Grant; George and Diane Gravlee; Jeffrey and Sharon Lawrence; Bill and France Moriarty; Barry Mansfield and Mica DeAngelis; and Larry and Diane Mock.

Remember, if you've been thinking about becoming a team leader but are not sure what's involved, contact me at [email protected] and I will send you the guidelines. Lack of construction experience is not a reason to pass on being a team leader. Organization and people skills are what are important. So, don't forget to check the "team leader interest" box on your registration if you are willing to lead the build.

Questions I have been asked recently:

Q: Do I need to have team members sign a waiver?

A: It is no longer necessary for team members to sign a written waiver for the Care-A-Vanners. This is done at the time of online registration. However, the local host affiliate may require a waiver. Please note that we are currently reviewing how best to ensure that the spouse/partner/friend in the rig also electronically signs the waiver. In the future, team leaders will be asked to assure this is done. Once this process is ready, I will let you know what is involved.

Q: How are hours reported?

A: Report the total number of hours on the job site. For example, if you report to work at 8 a.m. and leave at 3 p.m., that would be seven hours. Do not subtract lunch or breaks. We are only interested in the team's total number of hours for the build. You do not need to report each person's hours. The team leader should also include the number of hours spent on their team leader duties (e.g., emails, phone calls, etc.) These hours are then reported by the team leader when they complete the survey at the end of the build.

I hope to get to meet many of you at the Care-A-Vanner 25th Anniversary Build and Rally. During the rally, I will be giving a seminar on the role of the team leader. I will cover some basics but am still hoping to get some suggestions or questions beforehand, to know what is most important to you. So, what advice would you give to a new team leader? What lessons have you learned? What challenges have you faced?

Finally, team leaders are needed for the following builds. If you are available and willing, please contact me.

February 23- March 9 Hobbs, NM
March 2-16 Dade City, FL
March 2- 16 Macon, GA
March 9-23 Sebring, FL

Thank you and happy hammering!

Brenda Sawyer
Team leader coordinator
[email protected]

Spread the word
Send your RV friends a Care-A-Vanner brochure about this wonderful mission by just pasting this link into an email or just print out and give to fellow RVers in campgrounds.

Disaster Response

The RV Care-A-Vanner program has awarded a $1,500 grant to Morehead Area HFH, known to us as West Liberty, Kentucky. This money will be spent on scaffold parts, fall protection gear and ladders. This money was made possible from the last of our grant money from Larson Manufacturing, who through their seed money have enabled the RV Care-a-Vanner program to get our Disaster Response program off the ground. Thank you Larson Manufacturing.

Moore, Okla.: Dan and Carolyn Banks are leading our response in Moore. They have secured RV parking at the fairgrounds in Norman, Okla., for a rate of $7.50 a day. These are full hookups, with Wi-Fi � a real luxury for a Disaster Response build. Go to our website and look for the Moore, Okla., builds beginning on April 6th and running into November 2014. If you would like to be on my email list for regular Granbury/Moore updates, please send me a note to [email protected].
West Liberty, Ky.: West Liberty lost 500 housing units, many of them low-income, in a March 2, 2011 tornado. The latest news from West Liberty is that they have hired another construction supervisor for this year. That means we will not have to have house leaders on every build as we have done in the past. I have posted the 2014 builds in West Liberty and they are on our website. Sign up now so we can finish the mission we started. The tornado rebuild should be complete in the 2014 build season, and then we will offer regular Care-A-Vanner builds in support of the Morehead affiliate and their goal of building two to four houses a year. This year our teams have helped get 14 tornado affected families into homes. Congratulations to the 2013 builders. Job well done! Now let us sign up for those 2014 builds and finish the job!
Tuscaloosa, Ala.: Tuscaloosa is rebuilding following the massive tornado in 2011. I have listed the Tuscaloosa builds on our website through the entire year. No experience is required to work at Tuscaloosa. We have had some issues with the septic system at the camp, but those should be resolved by the time this newsletter goes out. Reports from builders who have gone to Tuscaloosa say it is a great place to work with a very strong construction team.
Superstorm Sandy: There is still a lot of work to be done in the Northeast. I expect to be listing builds in the Sandy affected areas soon, so watch the website for updates. If you would like to be on my email list for Sandy recovery, please send a note to [email protected]. I will notify Care-A-Vanners on my list first about build opportunities there.
Colorado 2013 floods: We had six affiliates in the flood affected areas in Colorado. There was a huge need for low-income housing in the area with a rental vacancy rate of 1 percent before the floods. There were also some mobile home parks that were destroyed in the floods. The six affiliates are working closely with the Colorado State Support Organization and they already have a plan to work together and rebuild 100 new construction homes and do 100 Critical Home Repairs. I have talked with the director of the SSO and all six executive directors and I think there will be a need for Care-A-Vanners this coming summer in their rebuild effort. More updates are expected soon. I have an email list for the Colorado flood rebuild effort, so if you would like to be on the list, send me a note to [email protected]

Featured Builds

Don't forget those Springfield, Mo., builds for 2014! Yes, our 25-year celebration and rally. We have room for everyone. I have posted a follow-up build in Springfield after the anniversary build and rally is complete. This will be a regular two-week Care-A-Vanner build to clean up whatever needs to be done to finish the houses. The build is listed as GV14-0157 Springfield, MO 5.4.14-5.18.14. Sign up today on our website.

Florida builds: Who doesn't want to be in sunny Florida during the winter months, especially this winter? We have a number of slots in Sebring, Indiantown and Delray Beach all winter. Delray Beach and Indiantown are new affiliates and Sebring is back after a several year hiatus, so let's support them by filling their builds.

New affiliate: Boone, Iowa, just signed up for two builds, one in June and one in September. They are new to the RV Care-A-Vanner program and they are really excited about hosting Care-A-Vanners, so let's get them off to a good start and sign up for their builds.

Billings, Montana:
Have you ever wanted to visit Big Sky Country? Habitat for Humanity Mid-Yellowstone Valley in Billings, Montana will be hosting RV Care-A-Vanners August 3-17 this summer to participate in our Fair Build during MontanaFair. This is the biggest fair of the summer in Montana, held in the state's largest city. You can build a home for a deserving family right on the fairgrounds during this great event!

Volunteers will help prepare the project and begin building one week before MontanaFair, during the week of August 3-7. Volunteers will then work throughout the week during MontanaFair, which runs from Friday, August 8 through Saturday, August 16. Our volunteer day starts at 8:15 a.m. and concludes at 3:30 p.m. each day. We will provide a site for RV parking with facilities and services, along with lunches and some other meals during the build. Habitat will have more site information available as the date gets closer.

Billings, Montana, is a wonderful place to volunteer and visit. The city sits in the Yellowstone Valley in South central Montana, surrounded by unique rock formations called the Rimrocks to the north with a clear view of the beautiful Beartooth Mountains to the west. Billings is an easy two-hour day trip from Yellowstone National Park and is also within 80 miles of amazing hikes and scenery in the Absaroka-Beartooth mountain range. There is plenty to do in the city as well! As Montana's largest community and its economic powerhouse, Billings offers a number of impressive restaurants, the Yellowstone Art Museum, two universities and a historic downtown.

Our families in the Habitat program are blessed by each and every volunteer who joins us on a home build. Thank you for your commitment to Habitat's mission: "Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope." We look forward to seeing you here in Montana! Contact Ryan Thompson, volunteer coordinator for Habitat for Humanity Mid-Yellowstone Valley at [email protected] or 406-652-0960.

Collegiate Challenge and Care-A-Vanners

Sixteen Collegiate Challenge Builds have Care-A-Vanners acting as crew leaders to help out local affiliates between mid-February and mid-April. This was our first year to list these types of builds online and we had a very good response.

I want to especially thank those who are participating during the month of February. They are Roger and Joy Rossman, Lavern and Sue Clarke, Lowell and Linda Lamont, Thomas and Judith Fox, Barry and Debra Anderson, Greg and Karen Harbage and Harry Fritts.

Hope to see many of you in Springfield for the 25th anniversary event!

Diane Gravlee
Collegiate Challenge coordinator
[email protected]

Anniversary Celebration

As I write this, we are 74 days out from our 25th anniversary events in Springfield, and the air is bitter cold in many places where many of you are and only moderately warm in a few southerly places. Even Texas got snow, and the Care-A-Vanners in Mason, Texas, went home from their job site this week due to cold weather. Who would have thought!

What has this got to do with fundraising you ask? Some of the families who are making the move to new Habitat-built homes are coming in from the cold due to the generosity of Care-A-Vanners who have donated generously of their time and talents in the construction of these homes. In most cases, the funding for the homes is arranged by the host affiliate along with sourcing the materials that are on-site from day one for our Care-A-Vanners. In addition to our time and tools, we Care-A-Vanners also make generous gifts of money to the affiliates as we travel.

The 25th anniversary builds are to be funded from a mixture of sources, grants, gifts, host affiliate funds and to no small degree, the gifts of the Care-A-Vanners who will be attending.

Our committee established a donation goal back in the early days of our preparations of $125,000 and we have made good progress toward it. The tools to reach our goal were made available through the Share.Habitat program operated by HFHI. The idea was that individuals would sign up to become personal fundraisers, soliciting small gifts from family and friends, as well as personal contributions. Some of you have done this, with great success, I might add - but not to the extent possible or that we had hoped. All is not lost, however, as there is still time to become a fundraiser.

Putting a house together starts with a lot, foundation and permits all totaling about $12,000. Then we add another approximately $25,000 of framing lumber, trusses, roofing, siding, flooring, insulation and drywall. To make a residence out of it, we still have to add another $20,000 for plumbing, electrical, HVAC, cabinets and doors and windows. There is some variability around these numbers and a lot of materials are donated corporately, such as paint from Valspar, and others.

The backbone of the funding for homes is still individual gifts, large and small. Please have a look at the Share.Habitat program and consider signing on to raise money in your circle of family and friends. If you decide that you prefer not to, please consider going to the Share.Habitat site of some of our Care-A-Vanners who have done that and make a gift to their program. For more information about this process and/or names of Care-A-Vanners who are fundraising, please contact us at the email address below.

Jane and Joe Gano
25th anniversary event coordinators
Jane: [email protected]
Joe: [email protected]

Anniversary Seminars:

Our 25th anniversary celebration in Springfield, Mo., is less than three months away. The seminars and workshops we have planned will take place on Sunday and Monday, April 27 and 28, at the fairgrounds. As you check in at the fairgrounds, you will be asked your preferences for the workshops, so we would like to give you a little information about each of the programs planned to whet your appetite. Be thinking about which you will want to attend.

As of now, we have planned the following:

Volunteer Engagement: What's In It for You?
Presented by Mark Andrews, vice president, volunteer and institutional engagement, Habitat for Humanity International

Understand Habitat for Humanity's strategic initiative to advance volunteer engagement, and discover new resources that may be available to enhance local volunteer programs. Questions and answers will make this an interactive group.

Building High Performance, Sustainable and Affordable Homes for Habitat for Humanity. Presented by Keith Kaan, Habitat home designer and build supervisor, Mason County HFH, Mason TX

High performance, green and certified homes can be very affordable and efficient as shown in a case study of Habitat homes built in Mason, Texas. This presentation will show how we build homes that have summer electricity bills as low as $20 per month and reduced water usage by about half. We justify construction of high performance homes with a payback for the improvements in less than two years. Partner families can minimize the risk of getting behind on their mortgage and enjoy big savings for the life of the home as well. The presentation will cover the concepts of what we do, why we do it, and how we do it. We'll have slides of recent builds and there will be scale models to help illustrate the construction techniques.

Around the World with Global Village
Presented by Allyson Drinnon, associate director, volunteer and institutional engagement, Habitat for Humanity International

You can't bring your RV but you can still make new friends while building. Join Allyson for a snapshot of Habitat International's work, what volunteers are doing around the world and how you can get involved. This workshop will cover the steps to join an international Global Village trip, costs and fundraising and leadership opportunities.

Disaster Preparedness and Response
Presented by Kristin Wright, Disaster Corps specialist, Habitat for Humanity International

Participants will learn how HFHI engages in disaster response, highlighting HFHI's Disaster Corps program and RV Care-A-Vanner rebuild team. Learn about types of disasters, key terms used in disaster risk management, phases of the disaster cycle, emergency management standards, the National Response Framework and what can be done to prepare and respond to disasters.

First Aid and Citizen CPR Workshop
Presented by the Southern Missouri Region of the American Red Cross

Learn some basic responses and techniques for more common emergency first aid so you will be more confident in responding to emergency needs. Watch a short demonstration on Compression Only CPR. Although no official certification will be offered, the class should make participants better prepared to know how to respond to emergencies.

Golf Chipping and Pitching Clinic
Presented by Ina Davis, RV Care-A-Vanner and golf professional, Crystal Mountain Resort, Mich.

Learn the proper fundamentals of the chip and pitch shots – the scoring shots – and learn the proper club selection. Guaranteed to eliminate the dreaded sculled, fat and miss-directed shots. Bring your sand wedge and 9-iron. Don't have a sand wedge? Bring your pitching wedge and 9-iron.

Team Leader Seminar
Presented by Brenda Sawyer, RV Care-A-Vanner and team leader coordinator for the RV Care-A-Vanner Program

This seminar is appropriate for those who are considering serving as team leaders as well as for our veteran team leaders. We will go over some of the duties of team leading but spend the majority of time discussing various challenges faced by team leaders. This will include managing team dynamics and conflicts, devotions and other topics brought forth by those in attendance. Please send questions or topics to Brenda before the rally (preferred), or bring them with you to the seminar. Brenda is looking forward to meeting many of the team leaders who she knows only through email!

Joplin, Mo., Disaster Recovery: The Story of a Comeback
Presented by Scott Clayton, executive director, Joplin, Mo., Habitat for Humanity affiliate

Hear the story of disaster recovery for the city of Joplin and the accomplishments of the HFH affiliate: flourishing against terrific odds, bringing groups together to service families in need and staff dedicated to helping – resulting in an astounding rate of recovery.

RV Care-A-Vanner Desk Questions and Answers
Presented by the RV Care-A-Vanner desk staff.

Meet the volunteers who keep the RV Care-A-Vanner program working. Come with your questions, suggestions and concerns.

The Selection of Habitat for Humanity Partner Families
Presented by Nancy Williams, director of family services, and Emily Keller, Partner Homebuyer Program Habitat for Humanity of Springfield, Mo.

The Springfield affiliate has two family services committees, the family selection committee and the family advocacy committee. These presenters will walk us through the process from initial marketing of the program and recruiting of applicants to the burning of the mortgage when the house is paid off.

Family Motor Coach Association Habitat for Humanity Chapter
Presented by FMCA staff

This group partners with the RV Care-A-Vanner program. Learn about their organization and their involvement with HFHI's RV Care-A-Vanner home building opportunities.

We hope we have something for everyone and you can join your fellow Care-A-Vanners in several workshops!

Safety Training Seminar: Safety on the Job Site
Presented by Don Hartle, U.S. safety specialist from HFHI

Everyone attending the RV Care-A-Vanner 25th Anniversary Build and Rally will attend this safety seminar. Don will cover OSHA's involvement with our affiliates in recent years, insurance statistics of claim types and frequency of claims and how we need to change and improve our safety thinking while building. Don will also present residential roof related fall protection options that are available. Fewer and fewer of us feel comfortable on a roof, but each house needs one and we need to feel comfortable up there! Other types of fall hazards will be covered, such as holes and covers, ladder safety requirements, guardrail requirements, scaffolding requirements, trenching and excavation openings, stairways, etc. Don will touch on general electrical safety – tools, power cords, GFCI protection, etc.; emergency action plan – what's necessary and where to post for all to see; and flammable/combustible – signage, storage and extinguishers. As we build, we all need to be responsible for our own safety and the safety of those working around us. Consider this seminar a "tune up" so that we can build safer.

Warm regards,

Joyce Rush
New member coordinator
[email protected]

How to support the 25th anniversary build using Share.Habitat

Share.Habitat makes it easy for you to make a donation to the 25th anniversary build and to enlist your family and friends as well. You and they can also use it to stay informed about the progress of this exciting project.

As a supporter you can see what's going on, encourage others and spread the word.
You can also become a donor by clicking on "please donate." Donate by mail or secure credit card. Choose any amount. Donate anonymously if you prefer. It's all up to you.
To maximize your impact, become a fundraiser. To create your own fundraising page on Share.Habitat, visit the campaign page, then:
- Scroll down until you see the "Up your impact" box on the right hand side.
- Click the last link in that box, which reads "Become a Fundraiser."
- From there, you can choose to create an account through Facebook, or you can simply click "Sign Up" under the Facebook banner to just use your email.
- If you are not using Facebook, just enter your name and email address and create a password.

Now that you've created an account, you will be taken to your fundraising creation page. You may edit this page by clicking on your Dashboard tab at the top, and then on the "Make Edits" link at the top. Personalize your page by:

Writing a short statement about why you're fundraising.
Setting a goal. How much would you like to raise for this cause? You can change the default amount to your choice. (The end date and default donation are set for you, but you are free to change them.)
Uploading photos that help tell the story of your support for this anniversary event. You may also copy and paste the URL to a video hosted on YouTube or Vimeo that will display on your page as well. Some content is there for you already, but you may delete it, move it around or add to it.
Telling your Care-A-Vanner story in your own words. Tell your donors why this event is important to you.

That's it! You're now ready to accept donations to your Share.Habitat fundraising page. You can add to the experience by doing the following three things:

Click on the Dashboard tab at the top of your page to share your story using the promotional and email tools found there.
Use the dropdown box at the top right of the page to edit your account settings. This is where you add a profile picture to show the world it's your page!
Click on the Edit button in the strip at the top to update and edit your fundraising page.

If you have any trouble or questions with the process, please send Mary Campbell an email at [email protected]. I'll answer as soon as I can and share helpful hints in future newsletters.

How to support the 25th anniversary build without using Share.Habitat

Let's face it. Some of us prefer good old-fashioned low-tech – writing a check! We need your support as well. To contribute to the 25th anniversary houses by check, simply write "25th Anniv. House – Project Code 1113001" in the memo line of your check payable to "HFHI RV Care-A-Vanners" and mail it to:

HFHI RV Care-A-Vanners
25th Anniversary Build
121 Habitat St.
Americus, GA 31709

So there are three methods to support the 25th anniversary build:

Write a check as described above
Donate online on the 25th anniversary donation page.
Create your own fundraising page on Share.Habitat or donate on someone else's page.

Welcome new Care-A-Vanners

Welcome Jim and Suzi Bakker, Valarie Bazzley, John and Rita Blosser, Larry and Libby Charvat, Tuck Daniels and Susan Sommer, Jim and Linda Harris, Christine Hendrix, Joe and Pam Hortenstine, Greg and Jill Hunter, Harry and Rowena Johnson, Keith Jones, Michael Rice, Larry and Debra Seifert, J.P. Smith and Mary Lee, Don and Carolyn Sparks, Bob and Sharon Van Fossen, James and Margaret Van Heest, Ken and Pam Wright.

Our apologies if we have included a seasoned Care-A-Vanner, or if this is duplication. Habitat for Humanity is grateful for the work that you do!

Safety Corner

Habitat for Humanity International is the sixth largest home builder in the U.S. and uses thousands of volunteers each year to build homes. Over the past 10 years HFHI has paid out more than $24 million to settle claims for volunteers and staff that have been seriously injured or killed on affiliate construction sites. HFHI is very concerned about the number of injuries and deaths on the construction site and wants to safeguard their volunteers and staff. A large percentage of volunteers are over 60 years old. The statistics for accidents more than doubles for the 60-65 and older group due to diminished balance, reflexes, sight and hearing, plus often there is an increase in medications.

To address this problem, this past year HFHI construction technologies and the RV Care-A-Vanner program have worked together to create a safety training initiative. As part of this safety initiative, HFHI recruited and trained 23 Care-A-Vanner volunteers as competent person safety trainers.

In December 2013, these 23 Care-A-Vanners, traveled to Americus, Ga., at their own expense and received job site safety training on stairways, ladders, scaffolds, electrical and fall protection. This year as these Care-A-Vanners travel around the country building, they will also provide three days of safety training to affiliates. There is a goal of training 3,000 affiliate staff over the next three years so every affiliate will have a person trained on safety at every build site.

The three-day training will be focused on providing in-depth safety training for individuals designated as the affiliate's "competent person" as defined by Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. HFHI's goal is to have zero accidents.

Work safe!

Frank Peccia
Care-A-Vanner safety coordinator
[email protected]

Questions, cancellations or concerns?
1-800-HABITAT, ext. 7534
1-229-410-7534 (direct)
[email protected]
RV Care-A-Vanner staff contact info

Register for a build online
Step-by-step instructions

Roster updates
please email updated roster information to [email protected] or [email protected] or call 1-229-410-7534.

Report Care-A-Vanner hours
Help us keep track of total volunteer hours contributed, and partner families served. Please email these stats from your drop-in or ongoing builds to [email protected].

Donate to RV Care-A-Vanners
How to donate money or vehicles