Risk is part of any charitable endeavor. Minimizing risk is an important responsibility of an affiliate as you work to accomplish the Habitat mission.
The following are some of the main liabilities issue's we've addressed over the years concerning ABWK.
Liability Insurance - We are covered under the same insurance as home building (Lockton).
Volunteers - We use the same waiver as home building. We emphasize some different safety issue's based on the work we are doing on an ABWK project - i.e. ladder safety, lead etc.
Partner families - We have a waiver on our application, a separate homeowner waiver used after a family is accepted into the program and an MOU outlining the work and warranty provided by ABWK. We also require homeowners to have homeowners insurance as a protection for them. It is very important to clearly communicate with homeowner families an affiliate's expectations for being involved in the program.
Interior work - It important to have a staff member or a well trained volunteer team leader supervising a handful of volunteers for interior projects. You may be working with vulnerable adults and it is important that volunteers are well supervised and are communicated with about the importance of being respectful of family situations.
You can never cover every possible risk in serving homeowners. However, you can provide reasonable due diligence with sound policy and procedures. In 12 years and dealing with thousands of homeowners we have never had a legal issue (a few hallow threats) with a homeowner or volunteer. Remember to consult with a trusted local attorney on all possible legal issue's. abwk habitat for humanity
It is also important not let fear paralyze your ability to act with compassion toward your neighbors. Make compassionate judgements as you evaluate how you will serve your community through A Brush with Kindness.
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