VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION AND GUIDELINES
Welcome to Charleston Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore! By choosing to volunteer here, you are playing a significant role
in our mission to provide simple, decent, and affordable housing for families in the Charleston and North Charleston
community. We hope your experience with us will prove to be positive and rewarding. The ReStore is the number one
resource for funding Charleston Habitat’s mission. Proceeds from the ReStore will help build additional housing each
year.
Below is information to prepare you for an excellent volunteer experience. Please read over it carefully and do not
hesitate to ask our staff any questions you may have.
Charleston Habitat for Humanity Mission
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Charleston Habitat for Humanity is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit,
ecumenical Christian housing organization.
Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with people in need to build decent, affordable housing.
The houses then are sold to qualified families at no profit and with no interest charged.
Families qualify for homes based on
– Housing Need
– Willingness to Partner
– Ability to Pay
ReStore Mission
• All profits from the ReStore go directly to support the mission of Charleston Habitat for Humanity to help build
affordable housing for families in need.
• Diverts reusable building and home improvement materials from local landfills.
• Provides reusable items to the community at a discounted price.
– All items are priced and sold at a discounted rate – usually 50% or more off of the retail price to the
general public
About the ReStore
Hours:
• Monday – Friday 10:00am – 6:00pm
• Saturday 10:00am – 4:00pm
Donations:
• The ReStore accepts gently used or new donated items from individuals or businesses within the local
community.
– Services Downtown, North Charleston and West Ashley
– Products include building supplies, appliances, furniture, lighting and much more
– We DO NOT accept used paint, mattresses and box springs, broken appliances and electronics,
disassembled furniture, medical equipment, clothes, baby supplies
• Donations are accepted during all operating hours
• Pick up donations are schedules Monday – Friday from 10am – 4pm.
There are 5 Habitat’s in the area:
We each service our own section of the tri-county area
– Charleston – Downtown
• 731 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403
– Berkeley County – Goose Creek
• 1 Belknap Drive, Goose Creek, SC 29445
– East Cooper – Mount Pleasant
• 469 Long Point Rd, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
– Sea Island – Johns Island
• 3304 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
– Summerville
• 101 Greyback Rd, Summerville, SC 29483
Volunteers
The restore is a dynamic environment that requires careful attention to detail; with limited staff, assistance
from members of the community is a valuable asset in allowing the Charleston Habitat ReStore to function on
a daily basis in support of our mission.
No matter what brought you into our store, we appreciate having you here and are glad that you chose to
support Habitat for Humanity. The role you will play in our store will depend on how many hours you are
going to be in the store, the time commitment you are able to give and your willingness to be engaged in
customer service and the Habitat mission.
General Guidelines
We reserve the right to dismiss any volunteer who engages in activities prohibited in the ReStore
• Each staff member and volunteer should be treated with courtesy and respect.
• We do not tolerate
– Verbal abuse
– Physical contact
– Inappropriate flirtation
– Offensive gestures or pictures
Attendance and Punctuality
• In order to ensure a smooth operation, we ask that volunteers extend common courtesy in informing us of
absences, late arrivals, and early departures.
• Volunteers are essential to Habitat; we depend on you and miss you when you are not here.
• In return, Charleston Habitat for Humanity will let volunteers know as soon as possible of any changes in
scheduling or cancellations.
Shifts
 Volunteers must sign up for a shift prior to volunteering
 All shifts should be a minimum of 4 hours unless approved by store manager
 Volunteers may take a 30 minute lunch break for shifts long than 6 hours
 Volunteers are allowed to take breaks and must be approved by manager
 Must sign in and out for each shift
– Hours will not count unless properly documented daily
 Volunteers are responsible for their own health and well being.
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If you are sick and cannot make it for a shift, call to let a staff member know that you will not make it is
as soon as possible. Leave a message if not during store hours
Dress Code.
 Must wear closed toe shoes at all times
 Clothing must be appropriate and not offensive in any way
– T-shirts will be provided
 Hats are not allowed to be worn in the store
 Headphones are not allowed to be worn during shifts
– Cell phones may not be used during volunteer hours
 May only be used during breaks
Safety
 Safety of ReStore volunteers is a priority
– Anyone acting in an unsafe manner may be asked to leave
 Protective equipment is available for all volunteers
– Safety glasses
– Work gloves
 Avoid injuries
– Keep your area clean
– Be aware of your surroundings
– Use proper lifting techniques
– Ask others for help
– Use a cart of dolly when needed
Customer Service
 Customers are our primary focus
– Failure to provide adequate customer service may result in dismissal from volunteer opportunities
 Regardless of the project you are working on the customer comes first
– You may need to stop a project to
 Answer questions
 Assist in carrying out a purchase
 Help bring in donations
 Answer the telephone
 Telephone Etiquette
– When answering the phone say “Thank you for calling Charleston Habitat ReStore, how may I help you?”
 Scheduling pick ups
– Follow the donation schedule posted under phone
– Write neat and eligibly
– Fill in ALL information including all items being donated
 If you do not know an answer to a question, ask a staff member for help. Saying “ I do not know” is not an
acceptable answer
I understand these guidelines and agree to their enforcement.
Volunteer Signature____________________________________________________________
Print Name:__________________________________________________________________
Today’s Date:_________________________________________________________________
Volunteer Waiver of Liability
Thank you for working today. We greatly appreciate your assistance and commitment to building affordable housing
in our community. Our insurance policy requires that we have an accurate record of all volunteers. This is an annual
form where you agree to release Charleston Habitat for Humanity of all liability while working with Charleston
Habitat for Humanity. This form is in effect for one year from the signing date.
This Release and Waiver of Liability (the “Release”) executed on this _______day of ________20___, by
____________________________________(the “Volunteer”) in favor of Habitat for Humanity International, Inc., a
non-profit corporation, and Charleston Habitat for Humanity, Inc., a South Carolina nonprofit corporation, their
directors, officers, employees, and agents (collectively, “Habitat”).
The Volunteer desires to work as a volunteer for Habitat and engage in the activities related to being a volunteer
(the “Activities”). The Volunteer understands that the Activities may include construction and rehabilitating
residential buildings, working in the Habitat offices, working in the ReStore, participating in special events and
fundraisers, and living in housing provided for volunteers by Habitat.
The Volunteer hereby freely, voluntarily, and without duress executes this Release under the following terms:
Release and Waiver: Volunteer does hereby release and forever discharge and hold harmless Habitat and it
successors and assigns from any and all liability, claims, and demands of whatever kind or nature, either in law or in
equity, which arise or may hereafter arise from Volunteer’s Activities with Habitat.
Volunteer understands that this Release discharges Habitat from any liability or claim that the Volunteer may have
against Habitat with respect to any bodily injury, personal injury, illness, death, or property damage that may result
from the Volunteer’s Activities with Habitat, whether causes by the negligence of Habitat or its officers, directors,
employees, or agents or otherwise. Volunteer also understands that Habitat does not assume any responsibility for
or obligation to provide financial assistance or other assistance, including but not limited to medical, health, or
disability insurance in the event of injury or illness.
Medical Treatment: Volunteer does hereby release and forever discharge Habitat from any claim whatsoever which
arises or may hereafter arise on account of any first aid, treatment, or service rendered in connection with the
Volunteer’s Activities with Habitat.
Assumption of the Risk: The Volunteer understands that the Activities includes work that may be hazardous to the
Volunteer, including, but not limited to, construction, loading and unloading, and transportation to and from the
work sites.
Volunteer hereby expressly and specifically assumes the risk of injury or harm in the Activities and releases Habitat
from all liability for injury, illness, death, or property damage resulting from the Activities.
Insurance: The Volunteer understands that, except as otherwise agreed to by Habitat in writing, Habitat does not
carry or maintain health, medical, or disability insurance for any Volunteer. Volunteer Accident Insurance is
provided and is a medical insurance policy which covers accidents involving volunteers on the work site or in other
supervised events. Volunteer Accident Insurance pays after the Volunteer’s insurance pays. If the Volunteer has no
insurance, the policy pays up to the limits of coverage.
Each Volunteer is expected and encouraged to obtain his or her own medical or health insurance coverage.
Photographic Release: Volunteer does hereby grant and convey unto Habitat all rights, title, and interest in any and
all photographic images and video or audio recordings made by Habitat during the Volunteer’s Activities with
Habitat, including, but not limited to, any royalties, proceeds, or other benefits derived from such photographs or
recordings.
Other: Volunteer expressly agrees that this Release in intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by the laws
of the State of South Carolina and that this Release shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws
of the State of South Carolina. Volunteer agrees that in the event that any clause or provision of this Release shall be
held to be invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of such clause or provision shall not otherwise
affect the remaining provisions of this Release which shall continue to be enforceable.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Volunteer has executed this Release as of the day and year first above written.
Volunteer Name (Print Please) :___________________________________________________
Volunteer Signature: ____________________________________________________________
Today’s Date: -_________________________________________________________________
Volunteer Mailing Address: ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Phone number where you are most easy to reach: ____________________________________
Email :________________________________________________________________________
Group/Organization: (if applicable)________________________________________________
In case of emergency, please contact:
Name_________________________________________________________________________
Relation ______________________________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________________________________
Phone_________________________________________________________________
****** If the volunteer is under the age of 18 a parent or legal guardian must sign.********
Parent Signature: __________________________________________( if 18 or under)