We are celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Week by thanking and recognizing the many members of our community who have helped us to create more affordable housing in Central Florida. Last year, over 440 volunteers spent more than 1,900 hours supporting our mission. Thank you!
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NEW! Upcoming events
In May, we are excited to debut a new lineup of in-person classes and information sessions as part of our commitment to educate and inform our community about homeownership and home preservation. All classes are free but space is limited, so please reserve your spot today!
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Hurricane Preparedness
Thursday, May 4 from 6-8 p.m. 4116 Silver Star Road, Orlando
Join us for an informational session during National Hurricane Week to help homeowners in our community get prepared for severe weather emergencies. We will share tips on having an emergency plan, home insurance, and what home inspections are needed to ensure your home is ready during hurricane season and beyond. Reserve a spot >>
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Budgeting
Wednesday, May 10 from 11 a.m. to noon4116 Silver Star Road, Orlando
Join us for a Habitat U workshop that will cover organizing and monitoring finances, healthy spending habits, paying taxes, how to use tax refunds wisely, and more. Reserve a spot >>
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Love what we do?
Nominate us for Orlando Weekly's Best of Orlando! You can copy and paste Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County into one or both of these categories:
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| Want to help us on our construction site?
We're looking for crew leaders who can lead small groups
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Crew Leaders are essential to keeping our volunteer build days running smoothly and safely. These special volunteers come out to the build site regularly to guide less-experienced volunteers. It’s a modest monthly commitment, and you’ll receive training. Join us for one of our virtual orientations to learn more!
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It's almost here!Our inaugural Homes Fore All Golf Tournament is May 8 at Shingle Creek Golf Club. Funds raised will help families in our community purchase safe and affordable homes. If you're joining us, we'll be sending you more information. If you'd like to join, we still have a few foursomes and single spots available!
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Another successful Women Build in the booksThank you to Alight, V3 Capital, Hilton Grand Vacations, Fringe Benefit Plans, Enterprise Holdings, PCL Construction, Orlando Magic, Bank of America and State Farm who came out in March to hang siding, paint, do drywall work, and more. We appreciate your donation of time, talent, and treasure!
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A belated Stars & Stripes: Veterans Day BuildAfter postponing our Stars & Stripes Build due to Hurricane Nicole in November, we were able to have a belated celebration in March. Making sure our veterans have safe and affordable places to live is near and dear to Habitat for Humanity. Thanks to V 3 Capital for supporting veterans and our mission.
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A "real world" experience learning financial literacyRecently our team had the privilege of participating in 8 Cents in a Jar's Teach Students Money Expo, a simulation that educates students on real-world financial life skills. In the exercise, we were affordable housing builders.
The students were provided a credit score and monthly salary for their chosen education, career, and family scenario. Students visited each storefront and made decisions concerning their standard of living and prioritized needs versus wants. "It was amazing to watch students navigate the life they were given," Client Support Manager Fatima Gaynor said.
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| From the experts in our Program Services and Construction departments
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Prep your home for Hurricane Season
Hurricane Season is around the corner! While the season officially runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, don’t wait to prepare until the storms are upon us. Do a walkthrough of your home, inside and out, making a list of items to secure, repair or strengthen before a storm:
- Roof: Check out your roof or ask a local roofer to evaluate it for you. Is your roof more than 10 years old? Check the secureness of shingles or any worn areas. Be sure to check again after any significant storms to ensure they weren’t affected. A secure roof is your first line of defense against significant damage to your home during a storm. Remember roof safety! If you don’t have a secure, level ladder that can easily reach the roof of your home, have someone with proper equipment help you, and never stand above the safe standing level indicated on your ladder.
- Gutters: If you have gutters on your home, make sure they are clean of any leaves or twigs and that all connections are tight. Most gutters are secured using screws, which are easy to evaluate for tightness.
- Garage doors: Inspect each mounting bracket to ensure those connections are also secured tightly.
- Yard: Identify a location inside your home or garage to store all unsecured yard furniture, equipment, and decorations so they don’t become projectiles during a storm event. Check trees around your home for any loose or dead limbs that could come off and become projectiles during a storm. Proper pruning in spring can ensure your tree remains strong and healthy as it grows.
Check out the National Weather Service for great hurricane preparedness tips.
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Update your hurricane plan
Below are few tips for preparing for a Hurricane or tropical storm.
- Keep emergency phone numbers on the refrigerator and program them into your cell phone.
- Prepare an emergency supply kit.
- Locate the nearest shelter and different routes you can take to get there from your home. If shelter locations in your area have not been identified, learn how to find them in the event of a storm.
- Pet owners: Pre-identify shelters, a pet-friendly hotel, or an out-of-town friend or relative where you can take your pets in an evacuation. Local animal shelters may be able to offer advice on what to do with your pets if you are asked to evacuate your home.
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Come work with us! At Habitat Orlando & Osceola, we’re on a mission to build more than just homes. We’re building hope and community. If a career impacting lives for the better sounds like something for you, check out our open positions!
- Housing case manager
- Client support coordinator
- Marketing & communications coordinator
- Site foreperson
- Lead carpenter
- Land planner
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Donate stock, save on taxes Are you looking for other ways to support affordable homeownership this spring? Donating appreciated stock is a simple but impactful way to make a difference and helps your dollars go even further. Using our secure, online stock-giving platform, you can make your gift and directly support our efforts today!
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