Featured news

Hello Fellow Care-A-Vanners,

As I write this, I am sitting in an airport waiting to return to our motorhome and our beloved dog, Molly, in Florida after my mother's funeral. She was sick only a short time and despite her advanced age, she was taken from us way too soon.

Over the last two weeks I have had many memories from my childhood rise to the surface. We lived in a small two-story house that always seemed to have something wrong with it – plumbing, garage falling down, furnace acting up – but it was home and it was safe. I grew up in a small town across the street from the grade school my brother and I attended. Across the alley from us lived a little old lady. I don't remember her name, but I can see her face as clearly today as I did 55 years ago. By Habitat standards, her house was substandard. It had a dirt floor and she had a small coal stove in the kitchen, her only heat and cooking source. I remind you that I grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where winters are harsh with lots of snow and subzero temperatures. In the backyard, she had a modest pile of coal. My brother and I went over to her house regularly and shoveled her coal pile out, chipped the frozen coal pieces apart and filled a few coal buckets for her to last a day or two, depending on the temperature. This went on for several winters until one day my mother told us that old lady next door had passed away due to hypothermia. That memory has haunted me for years. I always wanted to find a way to fix that wrong. I have, through Habitat for Humanity. I pray that no one ever again have to die in the elements because of inadequate housing.

My mother's wishes were that in lieu of flowers, all memorials go to the RV Care-A-Vanner program.
God bless.

Mary Vandeveld
RV Care-A-Vanner Program Manager
[email protected]
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Announcements

Proper build etiquette
Arrival day for builds is Sunday. If you would like to arrive early, you must clear it with your team leader first. Often we have back to back teams at a build and there is not a campsite open until Sunday. The same holds true for staying late.

Waivers
Waivers continue to be an issue for us at the CAV desk. With more than 300 builds a year and close to 2,000 participants, it becomes an overwhelming task to remind you on an individual basis to complete your waivers. Waivers are required in order to participate in any build. If compliance with this policy is not improved, we are looking at a change in protocol which would lead to participant removal from a build if all waivers are not completed within seven days of signing up for the build. This will include all of our more popular builds where we have the most issues with waiver compliance. When you click on a build to sign up, that spot is yours as soon as you complete the first page of the registration form confirming your contact info, so there is no need to rush through the waiver and skip your spouse's waiver form. Please help make our job easier!

Our office has moved
We are now located in the Rylander Building at 322 Lamar Street in downtown Americus. We are two blocks from the Global Village & Discovery Center. If you are passing through Americus this winter, stop and say hi. We are here from late October to early April every winter.

Surveys
We are changing our procedure for sending out survey results to eliminate the backlog. Going forward, Dave Vandeveld will be sending the results within three weeks of completing the build. Brenda and I have been overwhelmed trying to keep up with them. Any issues on the surveys will still be brought to Brenda's and my attention, so we urge you to let us know how things went. We will also be revamping the survey itself. It will be considerably shorter and therefore take less time to complete. Please continue to share your experience with us.

RV Care-A-Vanner Travel with a Purpose PowerPoint presentation
If any of you are doing a presentation and would like a PowerPoint about Habitat for Humanity and the RV Care-A-Vanner program, you can download the latest version of "RV CAV: Travel with a Purpose" from my dropbox. Be sure to let me know how your presentation went!

RV CAV promo video
You can download a copy from my dropbox and share it with all your RV friends. It is also on our website.

Why We Build
Your stories are always so touching to read. Share yours with fellow Care-A-Vanners by sending your Why We Build stories to [email protected].

Featured builds:

Check out our build list regularly. As affiliates update camping information, camping costs and specifics after their projects, I update the postings. I am also adding new builds at a record pace!

Hours and stories needed:

We need everyone to report their hours to the Care-A-Vanner desk. If you are on a build without a team leader, be sure that someone is assigned to keep track of the hours. If you are a drop-in, those hours count, as do ReStore volunteer hours. Affiliates do not report your hours to the desk. I need hours worked and number of houses worked on. This data is very important for grant applications and grant reporting. It is the partner families that keep us motivated, so send your stories and your hours to [email protected].

Tithing connections

Katie Grover
Tithe specialist, Habitat for Humanity International
[email protected]

Windows to Washington - January

Framing the Future in 2016 – and beyond!

Happy New Year!

As a voice for decent housing, you have much to celebrate from last year. In 2015, the housing conditions of many tens of thousands of families improved because of Habitat's network-wide advocacy efforts. At Habitat on the Hill 2015 alone, advocates met with nearly 300 congressional offices to educate federal lawmakers about why we care about adequate housing -- and why they should, too. Those meetings and the work that followed throughout the year are why Congress' spending agreement for FY 2016 met, or in some cases even exceeded, requested funding levels for Habitat's federal priorities, including SHOP, HOME, CDBG, AmeriCorps and others. This success is yours.

Now, in 2016, we have a major opportunity to shape the future of housing for decades to come. With a Presidential election around the corner in the United States, we can help more people access decent housing by returning housing to the national agenda, both on Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail. Around the world, we have the chance to contribute to the United Nations' Habitat III conference, an event that takes place only once every 20 years.

Our first major opportunity this year is the Habitat on the Hill conference, which will take place in Washington, D.C., February 2-4. Our theme this year is "Framing the Future," in recognition of the momentous opportunity that 2016 presents for our nation to build more inclusive and resilient communities. While mortgage credit is slowly becoming more widely available, potential first-time homebuyers continue to be shut out of the housing market due to stagnant wages and rising home prices. Intensifying these challenges, both single-family construction and resale inventories remain at historic lows. This trend does not appear to be changing as the share of first-time homebuyers has declined for three years running and is at its lowest point since 1987. Until policymakers understand and prioritize housing, Habitat will fall short of its vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to call home.

As we mentioned last month, we'd so very much like to have you with us at Habitat on the Hill that we've created a special discount code for Care-A-Vanners only: CAVVoices (no space). Register today! If you can't join us in person, take action with us online instead. You'll find our featured campaign online and we encourage you to take action anytime, but particularly on Wednesday, February 3, when we'll be on Capitol Hill.

The year 2016 is a critical year to increase attention to the need for decent housing – and a critical year for Habitat. Hearing from passionate Habitat advocates like you will ensure that our leaders, from City Hall to Capitol Hill, from the State house and the White House to the United Nations, prioritize the programs and policies that matter most to our serving partner families.

Let's make 2016 the year that all lawmakers understand the critical links between the housing needs of the families we are serving and good public policy!

Team leader corner

Hello from snowy New Mexico. While our home state of Maine is experiencing record warmth, we just experienced a historic blizzard in Hobbs, New Mexico. Since the city does not have snow plows, it does not look like we will be moving anytime soon. We are grateful for having the convenience and comfort of our RV in which to wait out the storm.

A very special thank you goes out to our November team leaders. They are Jay and Joyce Rush; Rickey and Joyce Smith; and Jeff and Sharon Lawrence.

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.

Welcome letters
When sending your welcome letter to your team, please try to remember to send me a copy. I am starting a file of information from the various affiliates so that I will have it to send to teams that have no team leader.

Rosters
If you are unable to read the roster I send you, or things appear to be on the wrong lines, chances are you have a Mac or iPad and Word documents do not format correctly. Just let me know and I will send them in PDF. Also, please remember to include the GV number or at least the date of your build when contacting the CAV desk about a build. It makes it so much easier to find the build you are referencing.

Devotions
I would like to start a collection of devotions that can be sent to any team leader who requests it. Please send me one or two of your favorite devotions. Please remember that devotions can be religious/spiritual or secular. Words that motivate or inspire make good devotions.

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

February 14 - 28	Sebring, Florida
February 14 - 28	Covington, Louisiana
February 14 - 28	Fellsmere, Florida
February 21 - March 6	Thibodaux, Louisiana
February 28 - March 13	Fellsmere, Florida

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 pasting this PDF into an email or just printing it out to give to fellow RVers in campgrounds.

Safety corner

Winter is upon us, at least for those who haven't traveled south yet. I know many, if not most, affiliates in cold climates build year-round. A few I know even take delight in posting pictures on Facebook of their dedicated volunteers who build even when snow covers the job site and they have to dig everything out. I have just a few words to say about winter safety.

Prolonged exposure to the elements can take its toll on even the youngest and most fit volunteers. For those of us who are more "seasoned," the effects can be dangerous. Our skin tends to get thinner as we age, and this, combined with cold temperatures, can lead to frost bite pretty quickly. As we work, we may be generating enough heat to keep our core temperature nice and toasty, but our extremities don't fare so well. Be on the lookout for especially red noses, ears and cheeks. Take frequent breaks and rub your hands together to warm up these exposed body parts. Wear ear muffs or hats that cover your ears. At the same time, make sure they are not noise-cancelling ear muffs. You still need to be able to hear danger warnings.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, signs and symptoms of frostbite include:

Cold skin and a prickling feeling.
Numbness.
Red, white, bluish-white or grayish-yellow skin.
Hard or waxy-looking skin.
Clumsiness due to joint and muscle stiffness.

Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Because of skin numbness, you may not realize you have frostbite until someone else points it out. Frostbite occurs in several stages:

Frost nip: The first stage of frostbite is frost nip. With this mild form of frostbite, your skin pales or turns red and feels very cold. Continued exposure leads to prickling and numbness in the affected area. As your skin warms, you may feel pain and tingling. Frost nip doesn't permanently damage the skin.
Superficial frostbite: The second stage of frostbite appears as reddened skin that turns white or pale. The skin may remain soft, but some ice crystals may form in the tissue. Your skin may begin to feel warm — a sign of serious skin involvement. If you treat frostbite with rewarming at this stage, the surface of your skin may appear mottled, blue or purple. And you may notice stinging, burning and swelling. A fluid-filled blister may appear 24 to 36 hours after rewarming the skin.

When snow covers your job site, extra care needs to be taken for several reasons. Obviously, things become slippery. The snow can also hide dangers such as uneven ground, holes or objects that can be tripped over. Bear in mind that the process of clearing the snow should not create more obstacles. Piling the snow can be more convenient than melting it, but piling it too high can obstruct sight. It's always a good idea to clean up your job site, but when snow is in the forecast, it's even more important. Take a few minutes to level out the dirt if possible. Fill in any small holes or dips. Larger holes and ditches must of course be marked and fenced off, as covered in a previous article. Have sand, kitty litter or salt on standby to throw down once work paths have been cleared. This will help soak up the slush and mud and make it less slippery.

Icicles may also present dangers. The colder the temperature, the harder the icicles will be. Hard, sharp pointy objects are not something you want falling on you. Remove them as soon as possible.

Lisa Crawford
Master Safety Training Program coordinator
[email protected]

Collegiate Challenge and Care-A-Vanners

The Collegiate Challenge builds are just about filled up for late February through March for this year. These builds are an opportunity for you to work with college students for a week, teaching, supervising and interacting with them. Below are the Collegiate Challenge builds that still have an opening or two as of the end of December. There are also two new places that are new listings since the last newsletter. We would like to have all these builds full, if possible, to give the students the best possible experience during their spring break, so if you've been thinking about signing up for one of these builds, now is the time!

Beaumont, Texas	Two openings the week of March 27.
Taos, New Mexico	Two openings the weeks of Feb 28 and March 20, as well as one opening the week of March 6.
Macon, Georgia	No openings
Winder, Georgia	Three openings the week of March 6. (Winder is a town located between Atlanta and Athens, Ga.; this is a new listing).
Corpus Christi, Texas	Three openings the weeks of March 6 and March 20 (This is a new listing).

Diane Gravlee
Collegiate Challenge coordinator
[email protected]

Welcome new Care-A-Vanners

Clayton and Toni Carroll, Victor and Susan Clark, Eric and Michele Creason, Bill Gress, John Hunt and Mavis Raynor, Mary (Biz) Johnson, Stan and Lynn Lemons, Jerry and Diana Moore, Mark and Susan Okkerse, Terry and Marsha Parkhill, Gary Petersen, Daris and Winona Reynolds, Judy Snelling, Richard and Linda Stewart, Chris and Dottie Thompson.

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

Disaster Rebuild

Hurricane season is over but we have news of record flooding in the Midwest. We are receiving regular updates and I will keep you informed. Remember our mission in disaster response is to come in at the time of the rebuild efforts and to stay until the last house is replaced or repaired. A lot has to happen before rebuild begins including permitting, fundraising, FEMA grant application and awards, building capacity at the affiliate, family selection, etc. It is easy to remember the disaster that just happened, but where we need the help is the disaster that happened two or three years ago. HFHI Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery, our partners, are also working with affiliates to do fortified building to reduce injuries and damage to homes and when a disaster does strike. This includes building safe rooms in tornado areas, hip roofs in hurricane zones and using anchoring systems appropriate for the risk. If you are interested in learning more about fortification standards, please review IBHS Fortified for Safer Living Standards. Your knowledge can help our affiliates learn more about these new building practices.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama: Tuscaloosa is still building homes for people who lost their housing unit in the 2011 tornado. To date, they have completed 55 houses, and yes, there are tornado victims who still have not gotten into homes. Our mission continues there as we stay until the last home is replaced. Tuscaloosa loves the Care-A-Vanners and has builds listed throughout the year. It is a very nice place to work.
South Carolina flooding: No news to report here.
Fire season out west: As you have seen from the news broadcasts, this is an epic fire season out west. Preliminary reports indicate that there are low-income families affected and we will offer to help when the rebuild begins. Assessments are still being done. We do have someone on the ground out there who is reporting any needs. They are not ready to rebuild at this time.

Questions, cancellations or concerns?
[email protected]
RV Care-A-Vanner staff contact info

Current list of active builds
Builds list

How to 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].

Support the Care-A-Vanners
Donate now