Disaster Rebuild Team

After a disaster, Habitat for Humanity can help communities and families build back.

The Disaster Rebuild Team, composed of RV Care-A-Vanners who have completed disaster training, can deploy during a disaster recovery phase to help local Habitat offices in a number of ways, including as construction site supervisors, house leaders, crew leaders or skilled volunteers.

When does the Disaster Rebuild Team deploy?

The RV Care-A-Vanner’s are not first responders after a disaster, as this team focuses on the rebuilding phase. Before a house can be built or repaired, experts must complete a variety of tasks including FEMA assessments, insurance claims, review of flood plain maps, damage assessments, family selection, contracts and fundraising. This can take months to years to complete.

What does the Disaster Rebuild Team do?

RV Care-A-Vanners follow the lead of local Habitat offices and step in to help in a variety of ways including building or repairing homes alongside families affected by the disaster. Some Habitat offices also ask this team to help build with a family who was in line for a home before the disaster or to assist the local Habitat ReStore with fundraising by helping with demolition.

How can I join the Disaster Rebuild Team?

The Disaster Rebuild Team is made up of RV Care-A-Vanners who are experienced builders and capable construction leaders who have taken our disaster-response course. There’s a limited number of spots in the course, and we offer it every one or two years as funding permits. Interested volunteers must complete an application before taking the course. Watch our newsletter for available courses or email the desk at [email protected] for updated information.

You should also have experience on RV Care-A-Vanner builds to join this team. If you want experience on a disaster build specifically, we do have several disaster builds that are open to all RV Care-A-Vanners. These builds have the letters “DR” in their build title on our scheduled build list. 

Be sure to sign up for the RV Care-A-Vanner newsletter which includes updates on all our disaster builds and announcements of available disaster training courses.