Volunteers from St. Mary’s at Habitat for Humanity

St. Mary’s travels to Paterson, N.J., on a regular basis to help build homes with Habitat for Humanity. No special skills are necessary, but all volunteers need to be at least 16 years old.

Typically, the day begins at 7 a.m. in St. Mary’s parking lot where John Soltes, coordinator of the service project, organizes a carpool. After a prayer with all of the volunteers, the carpool heads for the Habitat office in Paterson. Volunteers are asked to wear comfortable clothes that can get dirty (jeans and layers are the best).

Volunteers will have to sign waiver forms, and all helpers aged 16 or 17 will need parental guidance. After meeting other volunteer groups at Habitat’s office, it’s off to the homes-in-progress. All workers should bring a lunch, but water will be supplied throughout the day.

The length of the day varies, but typically it runs anywhere from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information on Habitat for Humanity in Paterson, click here. To schedule volunteer time, call 201-384-0557 for more information.