PVHH Ends Covid-19 Vaccination Tracking

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to present a health risk, although vaccination and appropriate distance precautions can mitigate this danger. On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced its intent to end the national emergency and public health declarations that have been in place since early 2020 on May 11, 2023.

All staff and volunteers are strongly encouraged to stay up to date on their Covid-19 vaccinations. As of May 1, 2023 Pioneer Valley Habitat will no longer be tracking the vaccination status of staff and volunteers.

PVHH may schedule opt-in “vaccinated only” work days on the construction sites at the request of volunteers. No more than 1 or 2 work days per job site will be designated as “vaccinated only” per week. This is to accommodate volunteers who prefer to work with other vaccinated volunteers only. This will be administered as an “honor system”, with participating volunteers representing that they are up-to-date on Covid vaccinations, as defined by the CDC from time-to-time.

To learn more, please read our updated Covid-19 worksite policy.

2022 volunteer recap

2022 volunteer recap We had 211 construction volunteers, 99 committee volunteers, and 22 who did both. We had 167 orientation attendees, 139 new construction volunteers, and 19 team build days. Volunteers came from across Massachusetts. 69% from Hampshire county, 21% from Franklin county, and 10% from elsewhere. There were 75 build days in Pelham, 65 in Conway, and 121 in Northampton. A graph shows that most hours occurred between May and October, and the least occurred in March. Committees met for 700+ hours in 2022.

YOU made a difference in 2022!

A majority of the work it takes to build a Habitat home is done by volunteers, both on-site and off-site. Every hour you spent volunteering with Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity made an impact — whether on the build site, on a committee, in the office, or out in the community, your efforts help make affordable homeownership a reality for more families in Hampshire and Franklin counties.

You supported us during one of our busiest years ever! Two families moved into their new homes in Pelham, three more families are building their homes on Burts Pit Road in Northampton, and a sixth family is busy working on their future Conway home. Our FEAST for Habitat returned to rkMiles in May, we honored volunteers with 100+ hours last fiscal year at our annual meeting in September, and our tenth annual Gingerbread Build wrapped up the year in festive cheer with our third at-home build.

This work would not be possible without your contributions of talent, time, and financial resources, and we cannot thank you enough for standing with us and with families ready to own their first home.

Is volunteering part of your New Year’s resolutions?

We’re looking for new committee members! Committees meet virtually and are responsible for all areas of behind-the-scenes planning. From family support and DEI to site safety and more, there’s a wide range of committees and leadership positions to choose from!

Want to swing a hammer? Construction teams are on site in Northampton and Conway on most weekdays, with full-day and half-day shifts available. Our Women Build days are the third Sunday of every month in Northampton. You can also schedule team builds with your office, school, or place of worship for a unique group experience!

If you have questions or want to apply for a committee or special leadership position please contact Megan at 413-586-5430 x106 or volunteer@pvhabitat.org. We look forward to working with you!

2022 Gingerbread Build

SEE ALL 2022 ENTRIES & WINNERS

Tenth Annual Gingerbread Build!

Week-long Build-at-Home event with a public award ceremony

Teams were provided with a gingerbread kit containing the six basic house-building pieces and a bag of icing. Any teams wishing to enter into the contest in one of the categories listed below used the six pieces of gingerbread provided, and beyond that let their imaginations and decorative additions run wild. Celebrity judges reviewed and make their decisions on the winners, awarded in a public zoom ceremony at 3pm on Saturday December 10th– watch the recording here! All winning teams received 4 buttons to Northampton’s First Night Celebration, and teams that raise the most money and have the greatest number of donors each received a $50 Northampton gift card in addition to their buttons.

2022 10th Anniversary Award Winners:

50 for 50 Challenge

50 Golden Hammer Donors Marks the Completion of 50 Habitat Homes for 50 Families in Franklin and Hampshire Counties

YOU DID IT, and you didn’t stop at 50! There are now 55 Golden Hammer donors, people who make a financial contribution on a regular monthly or quarterly basis to Pioneer Valley Habitat. An anonymous donor pledged to give a total of $3500 if we reached our celebratory 50 Golden Hammer givers goal, and when you helped us exceed it, the donor matched your generosity in return, giving an extra $500 to honor the willingness of the Habitat community to go above and beyond.

So THANK YOU. Whether you offer financial support, hammer some nails, attend an event, spread the word, or engage in any number of ways, you are laying the foundations for the next fifty families who build their Habitat homes alongside hundreds of community volunteers.

FEAST 2022

Join Pioneer Valley Habitat and our co-hosts rk Miles for the annual FEAST for Habitat, a fun after-work party in a transformed construction warehouse! The FEAST was held this year at rk Miles from 5:30pm – 8:00pm on Wednesday, May 25th.

For the $50 ticket price, party goers mingled with old friends and made new ones while sampling food and drink from local purveyors, placed bids on fabulous silent auction items, and listened to jazz music provided by the Hey Hey Club. Thank you to the sponsors and attendees for joining Habitat in celebrating the good work being done by so many at Habitat, including our volunteers, building and housing community, and building supply donors. This years FEAST went amazingly and we raised nearly $20,000 for Habitat.

Limited tickets were available at the door. Pre-registration was open until Monday, May 23rd. Please note that this event is for individuals 21 years of age and over because alcohol was served. Guests were required to present proof of up-to-date Covid-19 vaccination, including relevant boosters, to enter the event.

Thanks to our 2022 FEAST Sponsors and Contributors!

PVHH wins Design of the Year

Sometimes, less is more. Pioneer Valley Habitat’s design of a “big enough” house is making homeownership more accessible and affordable for families with this build in Northampton, and it was recognized by Habitat for Humanity International as Design of the Year at the 2021 Habitat House Design Contest. PVHH partnered with local architecture firm, Simple City Studio, to design a single-story, one-bedroom home that maximizes its square footage with an open living and dining area.

“This design focuses on the Habitat value that everyone deserves a decent place to live. By building small, simple, energy efficient homes, that’s one way of achieving that vision.”

Megan McDonough, Executive Director, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity

2021 Gingerbread Build

WATCH THE 2021 VIRTUAL AWARD CEREMONY
SEE ALL 2021 ENTRIES AND WINNERS

In 2021, a record 55 teams registered and 21 generous banks and businesses supported the Build. We’re sure you remember: the competition was fierce and fun! On top of that, several teams hosted fundraising pages and together raised more than $1,600 to more than match the $1,500 challenge that was on the table from an anonymous Habitat friend. Altogether the building of small homes from the comfort of contestant homes raised over $18,000 to support real families with low incomes building real homes.

PVHH home wins Best In Sustainability

Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity’s house at 1 Garfield Ave. in Florence was recently recognized by Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) with the Best in Sustainability award at the 2020 Habitat House Design Contest. As a contest winner, Pioneer Valley Habitat will receive a grant from Habitat for Humanity International to continue the affiliate’s work building affordable homes in partnership with local families in Hampshire and Franklin counties.

Every year, the contest recognizes Habitat for Humanity affiliates who exemplify the Habitat commitment to “high-quality housing that is safe and affordable for the long-term, as well as strategies that advance shelter technology toward building more and building better.” Pioneer Valley Habitat’s build was chosen from among 100 submissions for exemplifying a sustainable approach to affordable housing that can be replicated by other Habitat affiliates.

1 Garfield Ave. was designed by Jones Whitsett Architects, and was completed in 2019. This unique small house project of only 625 square feet cost less than $70,000 in materials.  Well-insulated and powered by the sun, the home is designed for a single adult or couple with potential for the addition of a second bedroom. With a HERS index rating of 8 the home is anticipated to cost only $238 a year in utilities.  JWA worked with PVHH as a part of our firm’s commitment to dedicate 1% of our professional hours to pro-bono work in our local community. Designer Molly Clark and Principal Dorrie Brooks led the project, creating a set of documents expressly designed for non-professional builders and volunteers; documents which are now available to other chapters of Habitat for Humanity International.

“Our local communities in the Valley are facing a critical shortage of affordable housing that has been growing more dire every year. Our firm volunteered to design the project and brought our entire staff out to do a Team Build in order to learn what we could from Habitat about efficient home construction.  We know it’s going to take new models of design, financing and construction to achieve the volume highly sustainable small homes our neighbors needs to thrive.” – Dorrie Brooks, Principal, Jones Whitsett Architects.

1 Garfield Ave. is also the pilot home for Pioneer Valley Habitat’s Big Enough Project, funded by the Community Foundation of Western Mass. The project aims to revolutionize how we think about homeownership in Franklin and Hampshire counties by advocating for and building simple, durable, and affordable small homes. Pioneer Valley Habitat has since completed three other “big enough” homes and more are in progress; all have a goal of utilizing innovative building techniques to maximize energy efficiency, preserving long-term affordability for homeowners by lowering operating costs.

To learn more about 1 Garfield Ave. and the Big Enough Project, visit www.pvhabitat.org/big-enough, read the 2020 Big Enough Report, or watch the foundation-to-finish documentary.

 

About Jones Whitsett Architects

Jones Whitsett Architects provides comprehensive design services in education, housing and civic architecture.  With over 36 years of experience, a talented staff of architects and a commitment to ethical and sustainable design, JWA is well-known for its work in public architecture projects throughout Western Massachusetts. To learn more, visit www.joneswhitsett.com.