About Habitat for Humanity's Volunteer Village

All volunteers must be 16+older.

PLEASE NOTE:  In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Habitat for Humanity and The Salvation Army entered into a partnership for the purpose of developing Yankie Stadium, owned by the Salvation Army, as a village to house out of town volunteers who travel to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to aid the recovery effort.

The local Habitat affiliate and Habitat for Humanity International built bunkhouses at Yankie Stadium as well as storage areas, office space, and a common area for meals and recreation.

Volunteers housed at Habitat Village must be at least 16-years-old. Volunteers 16 or 17 years of age must be under the supervision of adults at all times. A ratio of 1 adult to 5 minors is required.


MEALS:
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are generously provided by The Salvation Army at Yankie Stadium. Breakfast is served at 7am; Volunteers prepare and pack their own lunches for the jobsite; Dinner is served at 6pm.

HOUSING:
Lodging at Habitat Village consists of air-conditioned and heated bunkhouses for males and females. Cable TV, wireless internet access and a recreational area are available to volunteers.
There is a Salvation Army Code of Conduct and curfew that will be enforced.

RV HOOKUPS:
We do have RV hookups adjacent to the Habitat Village at Yankie Stadium. These spaces are very limited and book up well into the future. Please contact the volunteer coordinator if you are interested. The fee is $50 per RV per week, which includes full hookups (30/50 amps).

SECURITY:
There is twenty-four hour security at Yankie Stadium. Please wear the Salvation Army badge provided to you upon arrival at all times. There is an 11pm curfew at the Habitat Village for your safety.

DIRECTIONS:
Address for Yankie Stadium (Habitat Village):
575 Division Street, Biloxi, MS, 39530
Address for RV Park:
264 Nichols Dr., Biloxi, MS, 39530 

From Interstate 10. Take Exit 46, to I-110 South towards Biloxi.
Take Division Street exit – and make a LEFT (East) onto Division St.
Stay on Division for approximately 1 mile. Biloxi Yankie Stadium is on the RIGHT. You will see a large, white domed tent in the parking lot.
Volunteer Village is located on the west side of the stadium. (Walk through the gate and across the track to the right. Enter door under bleachers).

COST:
A $100 fee is assessed by HFHMGC to support housing construction; operations and the volunteer experience. Payment is made during the online registration process.

Besides the basics- here are some SUGGESTED items to bring – based on a week’s stay.

FOOTWEAR :
Work Boots, Tennis Shoes, Shower Shoes
Regardless of the weather, you MUST WEAR CLOSED TOE-SHOES at all times on the construction site.

CLOTHING:
Worksite clothing (see Construction Site Dress code; Work out / sports clothes - We have a track and sports area – good for Ultimate Frisbee games; One “going out” outfit -good jeans & shirt for a night out.

OTHER IMPORTANT STUFF

• Bedding: Standard twin top sheet; Sleeping bag or Blanket; Pillow
• Bath Towel
• Insect Repellant, Sun screen
• Alarm Clock
• Flashlight (very good if you want to read in your bunk after hours)

TOOLS:
If you have a hammer or a lucky tape measure you really like to use, you are more than welcome to bring them, but make sure you mark them as your own so they don’t get mixed in with our tools. Otherwise, we provide the tools.

TIPS:
Don’t bring anything of value. Leave your jewelry at home. Think simple, comfortable, and necessary. There will most likely be other teams staying at The Habitat Village the same time you are. Take time to talk to the other volunteers and find out why they came. Almost everyone has a good story. And remember. . .  Have a servant’s heart. Be flexible.

VILLAGE RULES & REGULATIONS:

1. Volunteers will be assigned a Volunteer I.D. Please do not misplace this ID. Volunteers must maintain possession of the ID at all times while on the Village property, and when exiting. The Village has 24 hour security, and the ID is your pass to enter the Village.
   
2. Shirts and shoes are a must at the Village. Please do not expose your torso area.
   Three meals are provided Tuesday  through Friday. Meal times are posted in the Village, and as are followed: Breakfast is at 7 AM; a bag lunch is prepared by the Volunteer before breakfast is served; Dinner is served at 6pm. Snacks are provided on the Café counter. Please do not enter the Kitchen area. A continental breakfast is provided Saturday morning before your departure.
   
3. If you choose to go out for any meals please inform the Village Staff by 10 AM, so they may adjust the meal count as necessary.
   
4. Lights go on at 6:00 AM, and in order to get enough rest for work the next day, lights go out at 10:30 PM in all thTuesday common areas. At this time the TV is turned off and the field is closed. We ask that the lights in the bunkhouse be turned off at 11 PM. 11 PM IS THE MANDATORY CURFEW FOR THE ENTIRE VILLAGE.
   
5. The Common area is for everyone’s enjoyment. Please do not have any overnight visitors; visitors will be asked to leave at the designated curfew times. We ask that you not sleep on the couches or in the common area past curfew of 11 PM.
   
6. All food and flavored beverages are to be consumed in the common area. We ask volunteers not to eat or store food and beverages in the bunkhouses to limit potential insect infestation. Storage facilities for food and beverages are provided to volunteers
   
7. NO ALCOHOL or DRUGS are allowed on the grounds. No one will be allowed back into the village if that person is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Volunteers who are under the influence will be asked to leave the Village immediately. There will be no exceptions. NO USE OF TOBACCO (smoking or chewing) is allowed in the buildings. Please smoke in designated areas. We also ask that you use the Tobacco Buckets.
   
8. Please remove your personal items after using the bathroom; soaps, shampoos, etc. will go to the Lost Basket, when bathrooms are cleaned each day. Please wear appropriate clothing after using the showers (bathrobes or clothes).
   
9. No members of the opposite sex are allowed in dorms. No males in female dorms, and no females in male dorms.
   
10. At the request of the Biloxi Police Department, please do not walk in the surrounding neighborhood, especially after sundown. If you choose to leave the facility please use your vehicle, go with another volunteer, and be sure to inform someone that you are leaving the Volunteer Village.
    
11. Pets are not permitted in the bunkhouses or in the common area of the Village. RV Care A Vanners please ask Village or Volunteer Coordination staff for the rules for pets in the RV park.
    
12. The field and running track are for volunteers to use. Sports equipment is located near the entry to the common area of the Volunteer Village. Local high schools students also utilize the track, so please remember to be courteous. Lights out on the field is at 10:30 PM, please be sure to return sports equipments and return to your assigned bunkhouse by curfew.
    
13. Please be sure to clean your area before you leave. Sweep the floor, empty the trash, and be sure to gather all your belongings. Thank you for offering your belongings to our facility, but we can not accept them at this time.
    
14. Please remember that the Habitat Village is a communal living area. Please limit your public display of affection (PDA), and take other volunteers into consideration.
    
15. Be Safe. Please report any accidents, injuries, or illness to the appropriate organization. God Bless You - as you work with and love the people of Mississippi.

CONSTRUCTION DRESS CODE:

The below dress code will be enforced at all HFHMGC job sites. This code has been compiled by HFHMGC, HFHI and OSHA standards.

1. Shoes – Closed toe shoes only. Work boots are preferred but thick soled tennis shoes will be allowed. Please make sure that tennis shoes have a solid grip on the sole.
   
2. Pants/Shorts – Pants and/or shorts must not be tight fitting. Shorts are allowed but must be no higher than mid-thigh. No mini shorts allowed. Undergarments must be covered.
   
3. No skirts and dresses allowed.
   
4. Shirts – Either long sleeve, short sleeve shirts and t-shirts are allowed. No sleeveless shirts inclusive of tank tops, tube tops, spaghetti string tops, sport bras and halter tops are allowed. No suggestive or profanity sayings are allowed on any shirt. Fishnet and sheer shirts of any kind are not allowed. Skin must not be exposed in the torso area.
   
5. Any form of clothing that is tight fitting and/or suggestive is not allowed.
   
6. Piercings – No visible piercings of any kind are allowed except non-dangle earrings.
   
7. Jewelry – Dangling and bulky jewelry of any type is not allowed.