Youth United History & Accomplishments
2008-2009 More Youth Involvement and Another Grant
The first Youth board member was added to the HFH MBA board and that leader coordinated build and landscaping activities and also led the efforts that won the HFH MBA YU group the $5000 State Farm Matching grant. [click here to link to State Farm PDF]
2007 - Youth Increase Funds and Build a Home
A combination of youth from 8 area schools worked to build a home in 2007, partnering as co-sponsors with Toll Brothers. The YU members of all ages also continued to grow their leadership skills and raise funds from: working on pancake breakfasts, selling HFH pins and T-shirts, raising money from restaurant donation proceeds and home tool sales, holding raffles, planting and landscaping and collecting community contributions. [click here to link to Past Events]
2006 - Cranbury Girl Scout Troop 1805 Awarded!
On a Saturday, in the early fall of 2006, a group of 11 and 12 yr. old girl scouts raised awareness about Habitat and Youth United at the Annual Cranbury Day festivities. The troop displayed a table, (click here for a photo) and soon joined in an education event that earned them the 2006-2007 Habitat Youth United Participation Award (click here for a photo) and a Girl Scout bronze award for serving lunches to build teams and maintaining gardens for Habitat home owners in East Windsor.
2005-2006 - YU Wins Grant and National Youth Award
In 2005, over 100 YU members helped raise awareness in their local communities and schools. A national Habitat award was given to the HFH MBA Youth United in 2006. While all age groups helped with annual affiliate events, youth over 16 learned to build and partner on Habitat family projects. [click here to link to Best Practices PDF]
2002-2004 - Youth Events, Youth United
In 2004, YU members applied for and won the $5000 Argosy Foundation Grant [click here to link to Argosy Foundation Grant PDF] . After the board established the Youth United (YU) group in 2004, YU youth members built a web page and held such fundraisers as car washes, hoop-shooting contests, overnight fundraisers and birdhouse sales. From 2002 and 2003, Youth from various communities, church and schools groups continued to help the affiliate by providing and serving food to build teams
The warm weather on Sat., September 9th drew a happy crowd that passed by a group of 11 and 12 yr. old girl scouts at the Annual Cranbury Day festivities. To bring awareness about Habitat and Youth United to their community, the troop displayed a table with Habitat and Youth United information. (Click here for a photo.)
1999-2001
Following action planning with the HFH MBA board, youth leaders from West-Windsor Plainsboro School organized and led 5k race fund raising events for three years.
T-Shirt Sales
We now offer the opportunity for Youth groups to sell our new Habitat for Humanity MBA and Youth United T-Shirts! The sizes are L and XL and each cost $10. Please contact our Youth United Program Director if your group is interested.
Be a Greeter
Greeters are the first person volunteers see when they come to the work site. Click here to find out how Greeters help as part of our mission.
Activities: Ages 16-18
New Jersey Law prevents any youth under the age of 18 to work on a construction site where power tools are used. However, youth ages 16-18 are permitted, with their parent's permission, to work on other activities that will help prepare the partner home under the supervision of either a Building Crew Member or Building Crew Leader. Other activities may include:
- Build picnic or lunch tables for the work site.
- Tutor younger partner family children.
- Provide babysitting for children of homeowners or volunteers.
- Clean a Habitat house before the dedication.
- Talk to a partner family about how Habitat has impacted them. Write about their experience and publish one of their reflections in a newsletter.
- Organize and serve meals to volunteer builders.
Activities: Ages 12-15
Just because you're a younger volunteer doesn't mean that you can't help! Click here to find out how our volunteers ages 12-15 are helping our affiliate. See below for Kelly's contact information if you are interested in volunteering or if you just have more questions. Other activities include:
- Design an affiliate Web page or newsletter.
- Create your own fundraising project and have a Habitat awareness table at your school or community festivals.
- Learn about another country where Habitat builds and coordinate a fund-raiser to help sponsor a home there.
- Register volunteers at the construction site information table.
- Paint doors and baseboards off-site before they are put into the house.
Activities: Ages 10-12
- Speak to classmates about the mission of Habitat with the help of a local campus chapter or homeowner family.
- Construct and paint window boxes to be used as housewarming gifts or as fund-raising items.
- Help clear the construction site of debris before or after construction.
- Sell our Habitat T-shirts at your own Habitat event(s).
- Help fold or stuff newsletters or mailings.
Activities: Ages 7-10
- Write messages or blessings on 2x4 pieces of lumber at the site (before the house framing).
- Have a fundraiser to buy a window, door or other material for the home's interior.
- Landscape, learn about the local environment and plant environmentally friendly bushes.
- Make wooden key holders, picture frames or doorstops from scraps on site.
- Coordinate a birthday gift project for partner family children.
Activities: 5-7
- Make a welcome basket for the homeowner family and sing a song at the dedication.
- Stock the pantry for a new Habitat for Humanity partner family.
- Draw greeting cards to be sold at a Habitat fund-raiser.
- Construct house banks as a fund-raising tool for affiliates.
Need More Information?
Our Youth United program is directed by a youth leader and our Youth United Program Director who helps Youth United volunteers coordinate their efforts and make our program a model for other affiliates to follow. For more information, you may either email our director of Youth United programs or call her at 609-443-8744. You may also see what other Youth United chapters are doing around the U.S. by reading the Youth United Best Practices Bulletin.
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Youth United = The Future |
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Young people energized |
