Columbia County Habitat for Humanity is celebrating the completion of the program's 13th house and first new construction in Vernonia. (Submitted by Columbia County Habitat for Humanity)

Columbia County Habitat for Humanity is excited to announce that we will hold a home dedication in Vernonia this month to celebrate the completion of our 13th house.

This special event will bring together members of our Habitat family to recognize the future homeowner’s accomplishment and nearly 1,500 hours of volunteer labor.

This house — our first new construction in Vernonia — was first announced in 2021. We’re proud to have expanded our impact to a new corner of the county and even more excited to present house keys to a well-deserving family.

But even as we celebrate in Vernonia, we’re also laying the groundwork for two upcoming projects. The first is a small, single-story home in St. Helens. Work on that project is well underway: The future homeowner has been selected, permits have been secured, and excavation work is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks.

The second, which will be our largest project to date, is a series of 10 townhomes in Scappoose. We plan to begin infrastructure work on that development while construction work is underway in St. Helens.

Many people in the community know us through our Habitat ReStore in St. Helens, but our work extends far beyond that. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit that builds affordable housing throughout Columbia County. But our mission is about more than just housing: It’s about partnership.

Habitat homeowners contribute 400 hours of “sweat equity” by building their homes alongside volunteers. This partnership builds pride and a strong sense of community.

As we prepare to break ground in St. Helens, we’re looking for new volunteers, regardless of experience, to join our construction crew. Whether you’re a retired carpenter with decades of experience or you’ve never used a power tool before, you will be a welcomed and valuable member of our team. Volunteers work under the guidance of our project coordinator who will provide training and tools to keep you safe and successful.

If you are ready to make a difference, you can sign up for a volunteer orientation today on our website habitatcolumbiacounty.org/get-involved. Or, if you would like more information, you can email us at volunteer@habitatcolumbiacounty.org.

By helping families achieve the dream of homeownership, you can make a lasting difference in the community that will be felt by generations to come. We hope you’ll join us!

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Alex Smurthwaite is a volunteer coordinator for Columbia County Habitat for Humanity.