Bill sat down with Habitat to share more about what he’s most looking forward to during the Carter Work Project and why it’s important to U.S. Bank to help advance affordable housing in the Twin Cities.

What is your favorite task on the build site?

I’m not sure I have a favorite task. I think it’s just gratifying to see how far you can get over the course of a week with other volunteers working side by side with the homeowner to build something that’s going to change their family’s trajectory and potentially change the community’s trajectory over time. I think that’s my favorite part.

What are you packing for Carter Work Project?

Ibuprofen! That’s definitely something I’m packing. Compared to the regular days I have at the office and mostly sitting, even though I stay pretty active, it’s a very different thing to be on a construction site swinging a hammer and lugging things around. You are literally just sore. I will probably also bring kneepads this time, and I always have safety sunglasses for those sunny days.

Why is U.S. Bank excited to be a part of building Twin Cities Habitat’s affordable housing units at The Heights?

The Heights development is such an impactful project because it will redevelop an entire area of St. Paul, Minnesota, and bring back community. To build it from scratch, to have 150 affordable homeownership units alongside about 850 additional homes being built in that community, alongside new jobs, new parks, new businesses coming into that area and many other amenities for community residents – that made it especially exciting for us to get involved.

It doesn’t hurt also that it’s in U.S. Bank’s backyard. We’re especially interested in seeing redevelopment in that community given the fact that U.S. Bank’s headquarters are in Minneapolis and are deeply rooted in the Twin Cities area.

How do the goals for sustainability and creating more opportunities for under-resourced communities, especially communities of color, to become homeowners at The Heights align with the goals of the Habitat-U.S. Bank partnership to increase safe and affordable homeownership opportunities for all?

U.S. Bank is committed to environmental sustainability as part of the core of our company’s social responsibility and part of our overall growth targets. We know that sustainably built green homes improve health outcomes and save money for homeowners, and this is especially important for families with moderate incomes.

From the perspective of advancing homeownership, we recognize that there is a great opportunity for increasing homeownership among underrepresented communities, including Black and brown borrowers. Habitat has demonstrated through its Advancing Black Homeownership initiative that there really is a homeownership gap within the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. So we’re really thrilled that this aligns with U.S. Bank’s Access Capital initiatives.

What is fulfilling about getting out of the office and using your hands to help build homes?

It’s a lot of fun for me on a couple of levels. I’m actually an engineer, and I spent a long time in the early part of my career around industrial settings. And then I worked for a real estate developer for a period of time, too, so I had a chance to spend a lot of time around housing and housing construction. It’s kind of fun to get back to my roots in that regard.

The other piece is that it’s a great team-building exercise for us. It’s a lot of fun to get together with your colleagues and do something that is different than what we normally do. It’s not a conference call or working on a spreadsheet or even a typical team-building event. It’s something that is directly in service to other people and directly in service to another organizational partner like Habitat.

Building resiliency and generating energy

The Carter Work Project has helped to change lives around the world for 40 years thanks to the generous financial and volunteer support of sponsors like GAF, a Standard Industries company and the largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer in North America.

During nearly 13 years of partnership, GAF has donated more than 3,800 roofing systems to Habitat affiliates across the U.S., impacting more than 15,500 individuals. The company continues to make a meaningful impact for affordable housing by donating products and volunteer time to support the 2024 Carter Work Project. GAF’s contribution includes 40 roofing systems featuring GAF Energy’s Timberline Solar™ Energy Shingle, the world’s first solar shingle that can be nailed down, as well as 40 solar energy systems.

“The solar-powered roofing system will make these homes more resilient, generate energy and be a long-term benefit to Habitat homeowners by helping to offset their energy costs,” Jeff says.

Bringing people together

More than 50 GAF employees will join Jeff at The Heights, including team members from the company’s Minneapolis-area shingle manufacturing plant, which has a longstanding relationship with Twin Cities Habitat.

Leslie Sather, a senior coordinator at the plant, is looking forward to volunteering. She will provide event information and support for volunteers and says she’s bringing along her personal “power tool” — her smile — to help guide them on the build site.

“One of my favorite things to do at GAF in my role is our community outreach efforts working with business partners, local schools and so forth,” Leslie says. “I’m really proud to be part of GAF and to be part of the Carter Work Project.”

Jeff is thrilled to work alongside GAF teammates like Leslie to build homes at The Heights, but he holds a special place in his heart for the two dedicated Habitat volunteers for whom the event is named — former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and the late Rosalynn Carter.

Jeff remembers speaking with President Carter nearly two decades ago and listening to his infectious excitement for an upcoming Carter Work Project event. “I feel so blessed to have been able to sit right next to this incredible individual that at the core of everything he stands for in his life is about bringing people together and doing something that is bigger than any one of us,” Jeff says.