Habitat partner 3M C.A.R.E.S. ends 2011 strong

The following reviews the work of the 3M C.A.R.E.S. Habitat for Humanity Project, a group of 3M retirees that has volunteered with Twin Cities Habitat for 16 years.

In early 2011, we completed the houses from the Carter build of October 2010. In April, we built walls for the upcoming work camp, starting our camp in mid-May on a five- unit townhome building in Woodbury’s Garden Gate development. In October, we reverted back to the Tuesday and Thursday schedule and continued working there through the year’s end.

 Here’s a quick recap of what we accomplished last year:
125 - Volunteers
23,584 - Volunteer hours
2,080 - Hours 3M employees volunteered during work camp
$21,250 - 3M Volunteer Matches for Twin Cities Habitat
$218,000 – Contribution by philanthropic 3M retired executives


These are all very factual statements about our results from 2011.  The more important aspects of what happened can't be measured with numbers.  We developed many good friendships among 3M retirees, 3M employees and the new homeowners. We had many laughs and jokes (some good and many bad), and no one can even estimate their impact.  We learned new things every day on the job site - such as how to cut sheetrock a half-inch short so it fits on the first try. We helped provide quality affordable housing for society and improve neighborhoods. We helped families become first-time homeowners as they moved out of the cycle of poverty. What a great deal!

During the last 16 years, we have built a total of 51 homes and done substantial work on 90 others. In 2012, we will work on finishing the Garden Gate building and refurbishing the Baily’s Arbor townhomes we build in 2006 and 2007.

See you on the job site,
John Winters, 3M C.A.R.E.S.