Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity will have one new board member opening in September 2023 and are looking for interested community members to join! If you are interested please review the Board Member job description and fill out this short application. We encourage applications from people with lived experience with housing insecurity and individuals who identify as women, people of color, or LGBTQ+.
The goal of this project is to realize the potential of all-electric homes for low-income first-time homebuyers who are working with Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the state of Massachusetts. Habitat for Humanity affiliates build dozens of new homes each year and building practices vary from affiliate to affiliate. This survey provides a look at current practices as we convene affiliates to share best practices for building simple, durable, energy efficient homes.
Of the 16 Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Massachusetts, 14 were able to fully complete this survey, and all were able to partially complete this survey. This project was made possible through funding from a MassCEC EmPower grant.
Thanks to all who attended and supported the annual FEAST for Habitat, a fun after-work party in a transformed construction warehouse!
New in 2023: Providers of food and drink at this year’s FEAST for Habitat entered a friendly competition. Attendees cast their votes that evening for the FEAST for Habitat 2023 Food and Beverage Fan Favorites awards; while there were many delicious entries, these stood out to FEAST-goers as the best:
Best in Show (entrée or savory dish):The Waxwing, for their Thai chicken boulettes and sesame tofu Confectionery Excellence (dessert): Johnny’s Roadside, for their s’mores milkshakes Best Beverage (beverage): Glendale Ridge Vineyard‘s wine
Also new in 2023: the silent auction went virtual, and anyone could bid from home! Attendees could peruse items in-person at the event, but those unable to attend could still support the event from afar.
For the $50 ticket price, partygoers joined old and new friends, colleagues, and neighbors to raise money to build homes alongside families who are ready to put meals on the tables of their own very first homes. 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 over $25,000 for Habitat!
Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity is excited to announce it received a 2023 Frontier from Nissan. The donation is part of Nissan’s $800K national partnership renewal with Habitat for Humanity to support local Habitat affiliates across the U.S.
Nissan is donating five vehicles to local Habitat affiliates this year to use for use on Habitat for Humanity construction sites. Additionally, Nissan employees will volunteer in 12 communities near Nissan’s manufacturing and operational locations.
“Nissan is deeply committed to the areas where our customers, employees, and dealers live and work, and our partnership with Habitat for Humanity is one way that we invest in these communities,” said Travis Parman, vice president, Corporate Communications, Nissan North America, Inc. “Our employees, working alongside our partners at Habitat and the future homeowners, are able to directly improve their local communities and help families build a safe and decent place to call home.”
Nissan has contributed more than $20 million to Habitat nationally since the partnership began in 2005 when Nissan donated 50 trucks and mobilized employees to assist in home building following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast region. Nissan has continued its support through the years by donating an additional 160 vehicles to support construction activities and disaster recovery efforts. Furthermore, Nissan’s employees have contributed more than 112,400 volunteer hours working alongside future homeowners in communities across the U.S.
“It was just 2 years ago we were driving around an old donated 1997 truck to and from the job site, before the trusty Habitruck finally died. We are thrilled at this investment in our operations from Nissan so that we can reliably transport tools, materials and trash on our construction sites without worry,” said Megan McDonough, Executive Director of Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity. “Building homes takes more than just nails and 2 x 4s, it takes time, energy and love from our community. Thanks Nissan!”
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.
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!
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.
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.
This calendar displays regular meeting times for PVHH committees. Emails will be sent to members with Zoom links and to confirm any changes. You can learn more about different committees on our Volunteering page, and to apply for a committee or special leadership position please contact Megan at 413-586-5430 x106 or volunteer@pvhabitat.org.
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!
