The 2009 Sports Build is designed as a statewide activity with the purpose of:
- Creating greater visibility to Habitat affiliates statewide
- Creating an opportunity to partner with new groups and organizations in new ways
- Creating a pathway for adding new financial partners and new volunteers
What does it entail for the affiliate?
This activity can be done in conjunction with builds you already have planned for 2009 – it does not require a “designated build”. To take part, you can invite sports teams to help fundraise and help build a project you already have planned.
Why should students/sports team members participate?
- Volunteerism is a good for the community
- Students (or team members) will have an opportunity to learn new skills under a controlled environment.
- It will provide sports teams a way to help others in their communities.
Making the contact: To begin, you need to contact the schools. You can contact local high schools, community colleges and universities. Do your research to find out who is the correct school official to contact. In every school it will be different:Superintendent of schools
- Principal
- Athletic Director
- Individual Team Coach
Determine the plan: Affiliates should be ready to explain what you would like the team to do with Habitat.
- Discuss time commitment: Will it be one or more days of activity? You discuss this with the school leadership and decide.
- Discuss type of activity you want the team to participate in: Framing, painting, landscaping, etc.
- Decide how many teams to invite. Invite as many sports teams to be involved as you can accommodate. The more the better.
Discuss your public relations goals with the school officials: Be sure to explain to school officials the public relations program you are going to conduct during the year to publicize the relationship and demonstrate the good the students are doing for the community. HFHM Michigan will provide you with an overall public relations plan which you can implement on a local level. It will include sample news releases and other ways to promote your local Sports Build to the public and the media.
Make fund development part of the conversation: Ask if it will be possible to have the team work with you in developing funds for the program. Explain that fund development is part of the non profit work and it would be good if the students could learn from this experience. Ways to involve the student team members and their parents:
- Fundraising events
- Contact suppliers for in-kind donations
- Contact contractors for labor, i.e. electrical, plumbing, heating etc.
- Engage business owners and others who have connections with the team
Invite your college chapters to join the Sports Build in your community. If you have a college chapter in your service area, consider inviting them to participate. This is a great way to strengthen or renew your ties with the local college chapters. Habitat Michigan intends to invite the leadership of college chapters to join a webinar where we can explain the Sports Build.
How can my affiliate join the statewide Sports Build? Affiliates wishing to participate are asked to sign a Participation Form and submit it to HFHM.
HFHM Staff Contact: Michelle Smith
