Meet Mike Noel, a member of Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity's CORE volunteer construction team. Mike joined our CORE crew a couple of years ago, and we are so glad that he volunteers with us! We caught up with him to chat about his experience volunteering with our organization.

What year did you start volunteering with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity?
I started to volunteer in July 2024.

What is your favorite memory with IVHFH?
My favorite memories are tied to accomplishments like finishing a building project. Most recently it was the installing kitchen cabinets, but it was also siding the garage or building the porch beam.

If you could give advice to any new volunteers or individuals who are on the fence about volunteering, what would you tell them?
All are welcome regardless of knowledge or experience, so don't be afraid. There are plenty of experienced volunteers who love to teach you the various skills needed. I'm one of the newer volunteers, so I learn something every volunteer shift.

What drives you to continue to volunteer with us?
There is a lot of volunteer comradery which makes every shift fun. It's also fun to play with tools and build stuff. I get a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction knowing that I'm helping a family achieve their homeownership goal.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
This is one of the most fun activities I've been involved with since I retired. I wish I would have found it sooner.

Thank you, Mike, for all of your hard work and dedication to Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity! We are deeply grateful for the countless hours you have dedicated to our organization!

Meet John McKinstry, a CORE volunteer at the Iowa City ReStore. John is one of the newest members of our Iowa City ReStore CORE volunteers, but he has been a familiar face at IVHFH! From serving as a Board President on the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition to hosting fundraising events, John has dedicated his life to helping others in need.

What year did you start volunteer with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity?
I started with Habitat by going to a workshop in a church building in St. Paul, MN in 1986 which featured Millard Fuller as the main speaker. That summer I spent a week volunteering in St. Paul. In 1987, I helped organize (and was the first President) of the Habitat affiliate in Jasper County, Iowa and the first house renovation in Colfax, IA. Moving from Colfax to Iowa City in the summer of 1993, I began volunteering with IVHFH in 1994.

What is your favorite memory with IVHFH?
I enjoyed working with many Habitat Volunteers from First Christian Church of Iowa City, but William Laubengayer and Charlie Donham were at nearly every build together, so I especially remember working with them.

If you could give advice to any new volunteers or individuals who are on the fence about volunteering, what would you tell them?
The Habitat professionals are especially skilled in working with volunteers, so you can trust them to find ways to make you safe, productive, and appreciative of the opportunity to serve.

What drives you to continue to volunteer with us?
After all these years with Habitat, I have more time to volunteer, and I still believe in the Habitat philosophy of working alongside families to capitalize them and set them up for long term success.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
If I recall correctly, the first small, fully renovated house we sold at no interest to a single mom in Colfax, Iowa back in 1988 cost about $25,000 but today houses cost 8x that or more, meaning we must find new ways to provide housing and financing. Through innovation and extraordinary effort, Habitat remains on the cutting edge of providing affordable home ownership opportunities nationwide and around the world. I am pleased to be a tiny part of Habitat.

Thank you, John, for all of your hard work and dedication to not only our affiliate but to all you have helped over the years! We are so thankful for the countless hours you have dedicated to our organization, whether it is on the build site, in the ReStore, or even being an advocate in the community!

Meet Isabella Pentecost, our 2025 fall intern at our Women Build house! We caught up with her to discuss her experience with our organization!

When did you first begin interning with IVHFH?
"I began interning with IVHFH at the beginning of October 2025"

What is your favorite IVHFH memory?
"I don't have one specific memory, but one of my favorite parts has been getting to meet new people every week. It's been so fun to interact with all of the volunteers and learn a little bit about each of them."

How has working alongside women leaders, such as our Construction Manager, Christy, and our Women Build honorees, Digger and Wai Yin, influenced your experience on the Women Build site?
"I've loved getting to work with all of the amazing women on this build. It's inspiring to see how knowledgeable they are and how confident they lead. They always seem to have an answer to any question I ask. It's really cool to see women so active in this industry, and it has helped me feel like I have a place here too."

If you could offer advice to anyone on the fence about volunteering or interning with us, what would you tell them?
"Do it—you won't regret it. You can learn something from every single task. Don't be afraid to jump in and be part of the work. Try something you've never done before, whether it's using a saw or a nail gun. Everyone is constantly learning, so you're in the same boat as most of the people around you. Don't be afraid to go for it."

How will this experience help with your future endeavors?
"My long-term career goal is to own my own business focused on residential property redevelopment, so everything I'm learning through this internship will be valuable in the future. I'm learning something new every day on site, and I'm very excited to apply all of this knowledge to my career down the road."

Is there any other information you would like people to know?
"Nothing specific. For a little more background about me, I'm from Waverly, Iowa, and graduated from Waverly-Shell Rock High School. I'm currently attending Kirkwood to earn my AAS degree in Interior Design and Interior Architecture, and after that I plan to get my real estate license."

Thank you, Isabella, for all of your hard work and dedication to our organization! We know you are going to do amazing work, and we will always be cheering you on!

Meet Isaac Brandt, a CORE volunteer with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity's construction team. Isaac is one of the newest members of our CORE construction volunteers, and we are so glad that he volunteers with us! We recently caught up with Isaac to chat about his experience volunteering with our organization.

What year did you start volunteering with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity?
2024, I was lacking purpose on weekends and wanted to use the skillset I’ve worked hard to achieve to do something greater than myself. I have a friend who works for Waco Habitat in Texas named Jose, and his videos of the work they do was a large inspiration to show up.

What is your favorite memory with IVHFH? 
Sheeting the second-story floor of the Grouch house with an awesome group of med students. We got the entire level decked by the end of the day.

What drives you to continue to volunteer with IVHFH? 
The families and Habitat team. The field and office personnel make me feel like family. Seeing the families that will move into the house is the largest reason, the gratitude they express and willingness to learn is something that is rare in the trades.

If you could give advice to any new volunteers or individuals who are on the fence about volunteering, what would you tell them? 
Take the leap and show up! They have the tools and experience if you have none and will always be kind and constructive. It’s not a breakneck pace to make a dollar; it’s an educative experience and fun days outside swinging hammers or setting casework in a warm kitchen in the winter. 
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Is there anything else you would like to share? 
We couldn’t do what we do on the build sites without the ReStore volunteers and Habitat office team and board. We may drive the nails and raise the walls, but every member and volunteer that procures funding, applies for permits, manages the volunteer schedule, plans events; there is not one insignificant role, and it’s an organization I’m proud to do my part in to make the world around me a better place.

Thank you, Isaac, for all of your hard work and dedication to Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity! We are so thankful for the countless hours you have dedicated to our organization, whether it is on the build site or being an advocate in the community as shown in the video below.

Meet Gerry Stebbins, a CORE volunteer with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s construction team. Gerry has been a great addition to our CORE volunteers, and we are so glad that he volunteers with us! We recently caught up with Gerry to discuss his experience volunteering with our organization.

​What year did you start volunteering with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity?
I have been a Habitat volunteer since 1990, in the Iowa Quad Cities. In fact, I was on the original Board of Directors who incorporated the Quad Cities affiliate. When I retired from John Deere in 2016, we relocated to our current home in West Branch. I actually spent the summer of 2017 commuting back and forth to Moline, IL, to work on the 100th home build by the Quad Cities affiliate. So, I didn’t start volunteering locally until the spring of 2018, working on the renovation of a home in Coralville, out by the mall.

What is your favorite memory with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity?
I do not have any particular “favorite” memory. Rather, I enjoy a recurring sense of accomplishment that comes from the completion of a project or any given part of a project.

What drives you to continue to volunteer with us?
I have always liked working with my hands. In part as an antidote to my professional life, which was mainly administrative work. I like to stand back at the end of a work session, look at what has been accomplished, and say, “I built that.” Not surprisingly, my other interest involves building construction, though on a slightly different “scale”. (Pun intended, I am a member of the local model railroad club.) That feeling, as well as the good people I work with, is what keeps me coming back.

Thank you, Gerry, for all of your hard work and dedication to Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity! We are so thankful for the countless hours you have devoted to Habitat for Humanity through our affiliate and in the Quad Cities!

Meet Larry Roehl, one of our extraordinary Iowa City ReStore CORE volunteers. Larry volunteers in the store multiple times each week, but that's not all—to meet our sustainability initiatives, he often repairs items in his home, which not only increases their value but also diverts them from the landfill. We recently caught up with Larry to chat about his experience volunteering with our organization.

What year did you start volunteering with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity?
I believe that I started at ReStore about March of 2022, following retirement in 2020.

What is your favorite memory with IVHFH?
There are some very unique items that are donated to ReStore, I have restored some of the rusty woodworking planes to be sold at the store.

If you could offer advice to any new volunteers or individuals considering volunteering, what would you tell them?
The other volunteers are supportive and provide a good camaraderie. I see a benefit to help in the effort to recycle and reuse otherwise unneeded items.
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Thank you, Larry, for all of your hard work and dedication to Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity! We are deeply grateful for the countless hours you have dedicated to our organization. 

Meet Jim Ponto, a CORE volunteer with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity's construction team. Jim has been a great addition to our CORE volunteers, and we are so glad that he volunteers with us! We recently caught up with Jim to discuss his experience volunteering with our organization.

What year did you start volunteering with IVHFH?
In the past 20 years or so, when I was working full-time, I volunteered a handful of times, primarily on Habitat builds sponsored by my church. Following retirement in 2020 (COVID at its peak), I started volunteering regularly (weekly) in April 2021.

What is your favorite memory with IVHFH?
There are so many favorite memories. Attending a dedication where joy is abundant. Getting the last final piece of siding installed. "Dad jokes" shared during break. The excitement of a young volunteer who used a pneumatic nail gun for the first time. But I guess my number one favorite memory is working with the Iowa Women's Basketball Team players and coaches in September 2023.

If you could give advice to any new volunteers or individuals who are on the fence about volunteering, what would you tell them?
There is so much personal satisfaction in working on a house that a deserving family will cherish. The construction managers are fantastic at teaching and then letting you get to work with whatever level of supervision you need. There is also strong social engagement. I have developed solid friendships with other regular volunteers and have enjoyed meeting and working with a wide variety of occasional volunteers.

What drives you to continue to volunteer with us?
I continue to really enjoy volunteering. Every day is something different. I am always learning new knowledge and skills regarding construction principles, practices, techniques, tools, and materials (some of which I have employed in my own house and my kids' houses). I really like the camaraderie and working together to achieve a goal. Volunteering helps me maintain the social, physical, emotional, and altruistic balance that many retirees strive to experience. It is also satisfying to see how much is accomplished in each work shift.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
My wife and I believe that helping ensure that every member of our community has adequate food, clothing, and shelter makes our community happier, safer, and more prosperous. Hence, we provide financial support and/or volunteer for local programs in the area of food (e.g., Free Lunch, Table to Table, produce gardens), clothing (e.g., annual winter clothing distribution), and shelter (e.g., Shelter House, Habitat). Volunteering at Habitat is not for everyone, but it has certainly been a great decision for me.

Thank you, Jim, for all of your hard work and dedication to not only Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity, but also for all your work with the community! We are so thankful for the countless hours you have dedicated to our organization!!

Meet Larry Kent, a longtime volunteer with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity's ReStore team. Larry has been a staple in our ReStore for many years, and we recently caught up with him to discuss his experience volunteering with our organization.

What year did you start volunteering with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity?
I believe it was the summer, probably July or August of 2014, that my church got a group together to spend a Saturday at the ReStore, cleaning up items and putting away merchandise as directed. There were about 12 of us, and we were each doing something different and then switching around, so that we each did all of the appointed tasks. It was a really fun situation for each of us.

I was cleaning paint off glass panels and had made the statement that it was a waste of time using a razor blade to clean off the panels and it would be a lot quicker to just replace them. One of the staff members that happened to be in the area stated that it was by far cheaper to utilize the volunteers to help clean off the glass as it only costs us a few rags and razor blades, whereas the glass is really quite expensive. Volunteers cost us nothing but are able to give us so much!! I got to thinking about what he said and thought "wow—there is a lot of truth in that statement", and pretty well had decided at that point that I was going to check into doing some volunteer work there as I was enjoying the different tasks I had been doing.

What is your favorite memory with IVHFH?
My inquiring as to what they needed for help got me into the receiving room on Wednesdays and Saturdays for assistance with items coming in. I was directed in where the items went in the store and in pricing them out. One of the items that had come in and was priced, was a sheet metal chicken that had come from an old barn and was nicely weathered, and about three feet tall. An interesting piece of stamped sheet metal that had been priced at $75.00. After looking it over, I made the statement that it was a great antique and should bring in more and was told to redo the price. I did reprice it at $195.00 and put it out on the floor. Someone asked later what I had put on it and I told them $195.00 and about 15 minutes later it went out the front door!

After this, the guys and gals there would come to me and ask about the older items that came in, "What is this?" "What's it used for?" "What's it worth?" It has been fun in dealing with those that come in and ask for a special item and you can say, "Yes, I believe we have that this time. Let's go see." The opposite shows up once in a while also, in that someone gets upset that an item they had looked at just a short time earlier, was no longer available. That is one of the things about ReStore: if you don't find it there now, wait around half hour or so as it's bound to change. But, if you see something you like now, don't hesitate as it will probably be gone when you come back through the store!

If you could give advice to any new volunteers or individuals who are on the fence about volunteering, what would you tell them?
ReStore seems to have something for nearly anyone to do as a donor, as a buyer, or as a fun volunteer!! The volunteer jobs are varied and many, so there is something for anyone to work with. I'm working on my 90th birthday in a couple of months so, if I can do it, so can many others. We all make mistakes too, a few weeks ago Thorin (ReStore Director) said he sure would have liked to purchase that stainless steel bucket for $4.00 that I had priced it at! It should have been $8.00!

What drives you to continue to volunteer with us?
It's been a great job to work with some wonderful people, to see some strange items come in the receiving door and even go out the front door, and to deal with the public in finding some strange items, too! It's a job that I hope I can continue!

Thank you, Larry, for all of your hard work and dedication to Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity! We are so thankful to have you as a volunteer and know that you are always willing to lend a hand when needed!

Meet Bruce Alexander, a longtime volunteer with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity's construction team. Bruce has been a staple of our build sites for many years, making significant contributions to our construction crew. We recently caught up with Bruce to discuss his experience volunteering with our organization.

What year did you start volunteering with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity?
1992. I was fortunate to be part of the original all volunteer group.

What is your favorite memory with IVHFH?
After 35 years with IVHFH, that is a pretty tough question. I make memories each week that I work with family members, the construction managers, and the other volunteers.

If you could give any advice to any new volunteers or individuals who are on the fence about volunteering, what would you tell them?
This is what I tell every new volunteer I work with: even though you believe you don't have any skills related to building a home, Habitat will find a place for you to participate and learn. It is a great environment to find out all the parts of the process, including learning to use power tools, if that is something you want to learn. No pressure.

What drives you to continue to volunteer with us?
This is easy. First, it is building safe, affordable homes along with future homeowners. Working with the IVHFH staff in general and building on site with Christy and Chris along with new and old(er) volunteers is a treat. I have made new friends along the way.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
I have been fortunate to attend four Jimmy Carter work builds in Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, and California. At the Los Angeles build, I had breakfast with Jimmy and Rosalynn as they sat across the table from me. So, I can say that I have had breakfast with a President and First Lady.

Thank you, Bruce, for all of your hard work and dedication to Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity! We are so thankful for the countless hours you have dedicated to our organization over the years! You have helped change the lives of numerous families!