Policy on Serving Court-Ordered Community Service Hours

Since its beginning in 1985, Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County (“Habitat”) has partnered with the Court system and Probation Department to provide individuals who have been sentenced to community service hours as a place to perform community service. While Habitat seeks to be a welcoming environment for all people, given the special circumstances of court-ordered Community Service hours, special care must be taken to ensure the security of each Habitat site and all of Habitat’s volunteers. Therefore, the following policy shall apply to all individuals seeking to work Community Service Hours at Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County. This includes, but is not limited to, Court-Ordered Community Service, School-Mandated Community Service, and Community Service hours worked in order to lessen a charge, to set aside a charge, or to apply for Accelerated Rehabilitation.

Each individual who is referred to Habitat by the Courts or Probation Department or by a school for mandated hours shall be reviewed after required paperwork is submitted to volunteer@restorecfc.org PRIOR TO SERVING ANY COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS. You cannot sign up for work days BEFORE receiving approval of the paperwork you’ve submitted. Those charged with or convicted of violent crimes or sex crimes will not be welcomed or allowed to work at any Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County worksite. As a rule those charged with or convicted of serious offenses (breaking and entering) will not be allowed to perform community service hours with Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County.

All individuals seeking to perform community service hours through Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County will be considered on an individual basis based upon  their willingness to conform to Habitat standards.

  1. All individuals seeking to work court-ordered community service must submit required paperwork prior to serving any community service hours and must abide by community service rules listed below.
  2. All individuals working community services must complete and sign a volunteer waiver and Community Service Tracking sheet.
  3. Meet the minimum age requirement (must be over 16); parents must work with youth between the ages of 16 to 18.
  4. Dress and act appropriately while on and off the worksite.
  5. Community Service hours are to be worked at the Habitat ReStore in Stratford, Tuesday through Saturday, as available on the Volunteer Calendar.
  6. All community service volunteers must have their Community Service Tracking sheet signed at the beginning and end of each day.
  7. Individuals are to report to the ReStore and ask for Ada Lopez upon arrival.
  8. Hours can be worked as follows:
      • ReStore: Tuesday-Friday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm; Saturday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
        • Half days are 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, or 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
        • NOT AVAILABLE: Shifts shorter than 4 hours
  9.  If you are 16 or 17 years old, you MUST have a parent or adult guardian working with you the full day.

Habitat CFC relies on volunteers to help us accomplish our goal of providing affordable homeownership opportunities to low-income families in Fairfield County. In order to ensure a safe and productive environment for our work, volunteers are responsible for meeting our expectations to the best of their ability. Conduct that is not in line with the mission and core values of Habitat CFC will not be tolerated. In the event an altercation or dispute occurs the individual will be asked to leave immediately and may not be allowed to return to work. Restore Manger will be informed of the situation and ultimately determine the course of action to take.

Requirements to serve

We will not be able to sign off on court ordered community service hours if you have not followed the pre-registration requirements. If following our procedure is a problem, speak with your court services office, lawyer or judge about being assigned elsewhere.

  1. You must provide Habitat with a copy of your court order
    • In the event no court order is available, a letter from the Clerk of Court or your attorney will be accepted with the following details:
      • Offense with which you are charged
      • Number of hours required
      • Court ordering the service
      • Date by which hours must be completed
  2. You must be at least 16 years old; anyone under 18 must have a parent or guardian work alongside them.
  3. You may not have someone else make community service arrangements on your behalf. Those wishing to participate must make the arrangements on their own.
  4. Record your hours or lose them!
    • Bring your Community Service Tracking Sheet with you each time you work
    • Have a Habitat representative sign off each time you volunteer
    • Return your original Tracking Sheet to the volunteer office
    • No tracking sheet, No hours, NO EXCEPTIONS
  5. You must pre-register and schedule your hours online (see “Next Steps”)

Next steps

Email a copy of your court order to volunteer@restorecfc.org You will be notified via email if and when you’ve been approved for service. If you are approved, you must then register and schedule your hours online with Volunteer as an Individual. You may not schedule hours until you’re approved.

ALL COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS MUST BE SCHEDULED AT OUR RESTORE. WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING COURT ORDERED COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS IN CONTRACTION!!