All I can find is Habitat for Humanity. I’m okay with working for a religious group even though I’m an Athiest. I would however prefer if my resources went to a group that was not religiously affiliated. I’m interested in building community housing.
A few years ago, the local Women in Distress group acquired a new campus - multiple buildings with areas for housing, class rooms, and large meeting/social areas. It wasn’t in good shape. A whole bunch of us got together and did landscaping, painting, roofing, and a variety of skilled labor.
My local newspaper has a section specifically to cover charity type events. If I were looking for something similar, I’d call them up and ask if they knew of anything.
-D/a
Since the OP is asking for advice, let’s move this over to IMHO.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
If I notice a neighbor working in their yard and I have some time I help them. I have a few neighbors who are elderly or strapped for resources and I have volunteered to do things for them. It’s not building an entire home or donating time to a nonprofit, but it’s on my own godless heathen terms and it makes a difference in my own community. All the baked goods I received this Christmas were certainly nice, too.
Is there some sort of an umbrella organization in your area putting volunteers and charities together, like this? Google your area + building volunteer opportunities, or something.
Or ask your local chapter of the Red Cross - they’re sort of religious though.
When I was volunteering with the local YWCA in their domestic violence safe house program, I found that while they had maintenance personnel, they* very* much appreciated companies and individuals willing to offer anything from painting to carpet-laying. So you could call around some of your favourite charities and offer whatever skills you have.
Also the local news outlets, as Digital suggests. My paper just ran a story about a local man who came into an inheritance and has decided to rehab some commercial building as a homeless shelter for families. He’s still jumping through the beaurocratic hoops, but is hoping to rely on volunteers for a lot of the construction and finish work.