Help Build

Whether you’re an expert craftsman or have never hammered a nail, we can put you to work!

You don’t need experience to be a valuable volunteer on an ABILITY House Build. Regardless of your level of ability or disability, whether you are blind or low vision, have diabetes, use a prosthetic, have paraplegia or quadriplegia, have experienced a traumatic brain injury, have an intellectual disability or mental health issue (or any other disability or health issue between), we can put you to work!

ABILITY Builds utilize volunteers with all levels of disability, regardless of their construction experience. We recognize that there are typically two types of volunteers:

• Those volunteers with disabilities who approach the notion of an ABILITY Build feeling competent and capable, but unsure if the site will be accessible and the construction crew accommodating of any special needs.

• Those volunteers with disabilities or health conditions who believe their disability limits their ability to contribute on an actual construction site.

Whatever your hesitation, put your concerns to rest as we are in the business of putting you to work on-site! We work closely with our build partners to help them create wheelchair accessible build sites and to work with volunteers with all levels of ability!

Just like any typical first-time volunteer, we will start with asking you what you're comfortable with doing, and what you'd like to do...

DAY PROGRAM CLIENTS

Do you represent clients or members of a program who are seeking day-time work or volunteer activities? Come join us on an ABILITY Build! Your clients will have a wonderful experience volunteering and doing something they've likely never done... to help build a home!

We often encounter program staff who express significant concern or doubt their clients would be able to participate due to the level of disability. In one instance, a program director said her group of clients (who all had varying degrees of vision loss) would not be capable of helping. Fortunately, she was willing to give it a try and came on the last day with just a small percentage of her clients. Those clients that came helped build a ramp and raise a wall... a truly wonderful and life-changing experience. Throughout the day, she lamented over the fact that everyone else had missed the opportunity!

Still have concerns or questions? HelpBuild[at]ABILITYawareness.org