Raising Walls & Support at Build-A-Thon

We're just days away from our 40th Anniversary Build-A-Thon, and both the site and our participants are buzzing with excitement. Not only are we getting ready to raise new walls and build new homes—we're gearing up for our largest fundraising event of the year!

In addition to compressing months' worth of construction progress into just a few days, Build-A-Thon also raises critical funding to support that progress and helps 10 families find safety and stability through affordable homeownership!

Build-A-Thon Raises More Than Walls

Affordable housing in the Bay Area is an all-hands-on-deck situation. Build-A-Thon is a response to the urgency of our housing crisis. Every day, our communities' housing need continues to outgrow the opportunity. With a robust project pipeline, Habitat knows we can build more affordable homes to meet this challenge, but to do so we need the support and power to build faster. That's where you come in!

Build-A-Thon is our way to focus a collective energy to make the biggest impact we can in the shortest amount of time, while shining a spotlight on what we can all do to change the story of housing in our region.

This event brings hundreds of people together to create change over just three days: the change you'll see at the end of your workday, and the change that will keep blossoming long afterward because of the funds you've raised. It also draws attention to the vital issue of affordable homeownership and inspires more people to join you in our movement.

How to Fundraise for Build-A-Thon

We're here to help you set up a fundraiser and reserve your spot at Build-A-Thon. If you have additional questions or want to discuss options for fundraising, you can reach out to your personal fundraising coach, Jenny Trac, to guide you through the process!     

Click here to get started. Then, choose your build day — or days — and choose how you’d like to reserve your spot: make a donation yourself, or start a fundraiser.  

To reserve a spot, we ask for a minimum gift or fundraised amount of:

• $250 for 1 day

• $500 for 2 days

• $700 for 3 days 

Once your donation or fundraising goal is complete, we'll guide through completing your registration! 

Setting up a fundraiser? We’ll hold your spot while you work toward your fundraising goal! 

Tips to Get Started Fundraising

1. Give the first gift. 
   People are more likely to give to a fundraiser that already has some support behind it. By making the first gift yourself, you'll not only show your own commitment to the cause, you'll make it more likely people will follow your example.

2. Get social! 
   "One day and one Facebook post were all it took to more than double my fundraising minimum," says Oskar, a participant looking forward to Build-A-Thon. Social media is an easy, quick way to spread the word about your fundraiser!

3. Make it personal.
   When you opt to fundraise, you'll get a super-simple setup form to get your fundraiser going. You can personalize the generic fundraising message to connect friends and family with your goal and inspire them to give. Think about what housing means to you, and why your loved ones should support your efforts to build more.

   If you're stuck or simply want to make your fundraiser go even further, you can always reach out directly to our team for support!
   
   

   What Makes Build-A-Thon Different?

   You already know the nuts and bolts of a day at Build-A-Thon. And you may know that unlike a typical volunteer day, you'll get a delicious breakfast, lunch from Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar, a commemorative t-shirt, and lots of fun activities that make the day extra-special. But, the thing that's harder to capture is the energy that truly sets Build-A-Thon apart from any other handful of days on the construction site.

   There's an electricity you'll feel only at Build-A-Thon. It's a sense of collective purpose that binds participants together, all pulling in the same direction to make the most profound impact we can. It'll be obvious with every wall you help raise. Every nail you drive in. Every cut of a saw blade. Every high five you share with a fellow participant. That huge group huddle at day's end when you turn and see the permanent change you've made—whether it's the new walls that have risen because of your efforts, or the way you've helped change the future forever for this community and the families who will call it home.