Volunteer Positions - Homes For Our Troops

Key Volunteer Roles/Responsibilities

Carolyn Robison Volunteer Food Coordinator The following Key Volunteer positions are available for each Homes for Our Troops Project. Please complete the volunteer registration form and indicate which role you would be interested in learning more about. A Community Outeach Coordinator will contact you with more details.

Street Team:
Street Team Leader, Street Team Member, Construction Photographer

Event Team:
Food Coordinator, Build Brigade Registrar Event Leader, Event Photographer, Media - on-site Point of Contact, Fundraising Leader, “Get your gear on” Volunteer, The Green Team, Directional Signage Team Member, Build Brigade Banner Attendant, Event Team Member

Street Team

Provides ideas and resources to build community awareness of the Homes for Our Troops mission and creates a Support Community that’s excited about the local project!

Street Team Leader: (Sign up!)

Serve as an ambassador for Homes for Our Troops by:

Downloading the Street Team flyer from the project web page and making copies.
Discussing the project as with community leaders and distributing Street Team flyers at:

Town Hall, the Chamber of Commerce office, and other local government offices.
Community and civic organizations such as veterans groups, Elks, Kiwanis or Rotary clubs, and Boy/Girl Scouts clubs.
University and high/middle/elementary school administrative offices, promoting http://www.kidsforourtroops.org as a source of fundraising ideas whenever possible.

Recruiting and overseeing Street Team members. Recording contact information for each member, including name, address, and email.
Communicating regularly with the Homes for Our Troops point of contact for the project.
Becoming a fan of the Homes for Our Troops project page on Facebook. (Each project has a dedicated “Build a home for soldier name” Facebook page.)
Forwarding project update emails to 5 friends each time you get one!

Street Team Member: (Sign up!)

Serve as a “boots on the ground” fan of Homes for Our Troops by:

Downloading the Street Team flyer from the project web page, making copies, and distributing to:

Local businesses and community centers
Malls and supermarkets
Friends, family and neighbors

Promoting http://www.kidsforourtroops.org as a source of fundraising ideas whenever possible to encourage more involvement from teen clubs and youth organizations.
Communicating regularly with Street Team Leader(s).
Becoming a fan of the Homes for Our Troops project page on Facebook if possible. (Each project has a dedicated “Build a home for soldier name” Facebook page.)
Forwarding project update emails to 5 friends each time you get one!

Construction Photographer: (Sign up!)

Serve as a “lens on the ground” fan of Homes for Our Troops by:

Committing to a 6-8 week assignment (approximate) to photograph weekly construction progress.
Communicating regularly with the Homes for Our Troops Assistant Construction Manager for the project and emailing pictures as appropriate.
Becoming a fan of the Homes for Our Troops project page on Facebook if possible. (Each project has a dedicated “Build a home for soldier name” Facebook page.)
Forwarding project update emails to 5 friends each time you get one!

Event Team: (Sign up!)

The Event Team provides resources to support our Building Partner(s) and professional tradespeople during events such as the Build Brigade, Volunteer Day, and Key Ceremony. You can support these events by becoming a fan of the Homes for Our Troops project page on Facebook. (Each project has a dedicated “Build a home for” Facebook page.) To receive regular updates for the project you are interested in assisting, go to the project page and sign up under project updates. Then forward these emails to your friends and family and encourage them to sign up too!

Key Events:

Build Brigade: 50-100 people per day over 2-3 days.
Volunteer Day: 50-100 people for 1 day.
Key Ceremony: 50-100 people for 1 day.

Food Coordinator: (Sign up!)

Securing donations of food, beverages and gift cards for events. Recording all donor information including individual/business addresses and items donated. (Note that remaining gift card balances are donated to the veteran upon project completion.)
Recruiting and organizing work shifts for Event Team members to serve food and beverages at events. Recording contact information for each member, including name, address, and email.
Communicating regularly with the Homes for Our Troops Community Outreach Coordinator for the project.

Build Brigade Registrar Event Leader: (Sign up!)

Staffing the registration table for one or more days during the 2-3 day Build Brigade. (Morning and afternoon shifts work well for volunteer schedules. Note that the majority of volunteers arrive in the morning.) Registration tasks can include:
Using the Homes for Our Troops “mobile office” for support! The mobile office contains everything you need for Build Brigade volunteer registration, including office supplies (tape, hole punch, clipboards, stapler, etc.), brochures, and waiver forms.
Communicating regularly with the Homes for Our Troops Community Outreach Coordinator for the project.

Ensuring that each volunteer fills out both sides of the Homes for Our Troops waiver.
Distributing Build Brigade t-shirts (It is mandatory that all volunteers wear them.)
Distributing hard hats if the volunteer is participating in construction activities & collecting them at the end of the day. On Saturday afternoon or all day Sunday, volunteers may want to purchase the hats for $10. Give this fundraising money to the HFOT Gear volunteer to be sent back with other donations.

Using the Homes for Our Troops “mobile office” for support! The mobile office contains everything you need for Build Brigade volunteer registration, including office supplies (tape, hole punch, clipboards, stapler, etc.), brochures, and waiver forms.
Communicating regularly with the Homes for Our Troops Community Outreach Coordinator for the project.

Event Photographer: (Sign up!)Professional HFOT Shutter Bug Volunteer:

Committing to attend one or more project events to record progress and capture the excitement during events. Note that the Build Brigade spans 2-3 days.
Communicating regularly with the Homes for Our Troops Community Outreach Coordinator for the project.
Ability to email photos, send disc, or upload to FTP site.
Spread the word to attendees that they can go onto the Homes for Our Troops Facebook project page and tag themselves so they can show their friends.
Relinquish rights to the photos

Media - on-site Point of Contact (Sign up!)

Learn who the HFOT media representatives are for the Build Brigade and direct media to them.
Keep an eye out for media attending and hand out the HFOT media packet to all on-site.
Keep a list of media that attend the event and email to Community Outreach Coordinator after event.

Fundraising Leader: (Sign up!)

Serve as a leader in putting together a committee to do fundraising by:

Working directly with the Independent Fundraising Coordinator at Homes for Our Troops to learn all about our fundraising programs.
Build a team of volunteers to encourage local schools, restaurants, local clubs, etc. to do their own fundraising.
Put together a team before the Build Brigade that is willing to sell 50/50 raffle tickets before and during the build brigade.
Assist in the drawing and contact the winner if they are not in attendance
Find someone in your community willing to run an auction on site at the Build Brigades during lunch breaks. Ask your committee to help attain items that can be raffled during lunch at the Build Brigade.
Coordinate volunteers to work with the Build Brigade attendees asking them to sign up for “Operation Enduring Support”, our online sustaining donation program.

“Get your gear on” Volunteer: (Sign up!)

Serve as point person for all sales on-site at the Build Brigade for Homes for Our Troops gear

Work directly with Independent Fundraising Coordinator at Homes for Our Troops.
Track sales and inventory of HFOT gear for the 3 day Build Brigade and return remaining inventory to HFOT office.

The Green Team – a perfect opportunity for a youth group: (Sign up!)

Provide proper recycling receptacles for the job site
See that recyclables (bottles, cans, cardboard, etc. )are separated from trash on the job site
Have designated spots on site for trash and recycling
Properly dispose of the recyclables at the end of the day/weekend

Directional Signage Team Member: (Sign up!)

Set up directional signs leading volunteers to the job site
Ensure that signs are not vandalized or tampered with each day to make sure volunteers can follow the signs to the build site.
Take signs down at the end of the weekend, and hold onto them so they can be used at the Key Ceremony

Build Brigade Banner Attendant: (Sign up!)

Set up the Build Brigade Sign at the beginning of each day and properly store it at the end of the day
Provide permanent colorful sharpie pens
Ask volunteers to sign the banner each day

Other Event Team Members: (Sign up!)

Serve as a "boots on the ground" fan of Homes for Our Troops by:

Becoming a BB Runner! Deliver water to Build Brigade workers, re-stock items such as water, ice, and snacks as needed, and help serve food.
Contributing baked goods, coffee, or hot chocolate to an event.
Bringing paper towels, hand sanitizer, or trash bags to an event to help keep the site clean.
Encouraging the community to stop by and view progress during the 2-3 day Build Brigade and attend the Volunteer Day and Key Ceremony events.
Communicating regularly with the Food Coordinator(s) and Key Volunteers.