On Martin Luther King Jr Day, our AmeriCorps members had "a day on, not a day off" by teaching ideals of service to a group of young volunteers.

Our volunteer opportunities are usually limited to 16 years old and up, but with the construction sites closed for the day we were able to set up some cleaning and organizing activities that were safe for this group to learn more about Habitat and community service! (There was a little time to play in the snow too!)

Thank you Greg and Maggie, our two #AmeriCorps members, for making this great experience possible and for your service each day that you are with us!

Learn more about the AmeriCorps national service program at www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/

It may be cold out, but we've got indoor construction volunteering – and heat!

Today, Women Build and Hammer & Saw volunteers are hanging doors and painting at 105 Holworthy; while drywall "mudding" is being completed at 126 Holworthy.

Construction volunteer shifts are open now for public construction, Women Build, and three Faith Builds. Sign-up today!

Today is National Religious Freedom Day, which celebrates freedom of religion for all Americans. That makes it a perfect day for us to celebrate and share progress from our Habitat Interfaith Partnership – a coalition of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and secular organizations – all working together to build Habitat homes in Rochester.

120 Holworthy Street is the 8th house that the Habitat Interfaith Partnership has sponsored and volunteered to help build. This is an incredible, long-running partnership of over 20 years of bringing people together, showing how much we have in common, and lifting all of our neighbors up – no matter their religious background.

This week, volunteers are installing the furnace, hot water heater, kitchen cabinets, and doors!

Learn more about the Habitat Interfaith Partnership, and our other faith-based coalitions at www.rochesterhabitat.org/faith.

Flower City Habitat kitchen cabinets are built by our skilled "Hammer & Saw" volunteers! We have two weekly crews that build high quality cabinets for all of our current construction. The cabinets started going in on Smith Street this week!

874 Smith Street is the third house sponsored by the Unions Giving Back program of the local Federation of Social Workers, IUE-CWA 81381. Stay tuned as this house nears completion in coming weeks!

Check out our new volunteer information board!

Greg, our AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator, created this new process to help keep all of our construction volunteers informed of work that is going on at each house, and what is coming up next!

​As you can see, we have plenty of work going on, and if you sign-up to volunteer in the next week or so — make sure you wear clothes that you don't mind getting paint on!
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Sign-up for open construction shifts at https://give.rochesterhabitat.org/ge/construction (house sponsor volunteers should go to our home page, then look for their house for additional reserved volunteer shifts)

For over a decade, Flower City Habitat for Humanity (FCHH) has held an annual gift drive for the children of its homeowners and homebuyers. This year’s gift drive will provide toys for 275 children living—or soon to be living—in homes earned through the FCHH homebuyer program.

This year's gift drive was made possible by 10 generous sponsors from the local community, including area organizations such as Excellus Health Plan, Mountain Rise United Church, Caldwell Manufacturing, Allendale Columbia School, and more. 

Just before the holidays, we were honored to host the 13th annual Brian Kimble Memorial Habitat Day; an annual day of service with Flower City Habitat for Humanity and the Kimble family - in memory of their son and brother, Brian Kimble.

Through the generosity of the friends and family of Brian Kimble over $58,000 has been donated to Habitat.
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​Brian was a passionate young Habitat for Humanity supporter who died in 2004. The Kimble family continues to raise funds in Brian's memory to support Flower City Habitat's mission of putting God's love into action by bringing partners together to build homeownership, communities, and hope.

A message from the Kimble family:

​Since 2007, our family has had the privilege and joy of hosting the Brian Kimble Memorial Habitat Day. Every December, we join together with a group of about 20 friends and spend the day working on Habitat homes. We have been involved in just about every aspect of construction – installing basement wall forms, painting, insulation, siding, framing, drywall, roof trusses, plumbing, electrical and house rehabs.

It is our son/brother, Brian Kimble, who brings us together for the day. Brian was a 2000 graduate of Greece Odyssey High School. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Clarkson University and graduated from there in 2004. While he was at Clarkson, he was a campus representative for Habitat in Potsdam, NY. He accepted a job with Timken Corporation in Torrington, CT and began work there in September of 2004. Brian called it his first 'Big Kid' job.

Brian was a people person. He loved to be with people and he cared about people. He had an enormous smile that he freely shared with others. Brian was good at making people feel comfortable and reaching out to those who needed a friend. He took part in a number of mission trips during his high school years including a month-long trip to Botswana, Africa. To every endeavor Brian undertook, he brought a huge heart and a love for Christ and the Gospel.

Brian died in December of 2004. As a family we wanted to come together each year to commemorate his life. Brian's involvement with Habitat in his college years led us to partner with Flower City Habitat For Humanity. Brian was just at the stage of his life that he was beginning to think about becoming a homeowner. It was one of his many dreams. That dream was never realized. But today, through all who have donated to Habitat in Brian's name, he has become a part of the Habitat homes in the JOSANA neighborhood.

And now we ask you to partner with us. Join us in the effort ​to erase poverty level housing in Rochester by offering a 'hand up' to families who seek the American Dream of home ownership. And join us as we commemorate the life of a young man who made the most of his 22 years.

Kevin, Laurie, Katie & Holly (Mabee) Kimble

To donate in honor of Brian Kimble, visit https://give.rochesterhabitat.org/checkout/12996