Habitat for Humanity’s “Frame Up on the Square”

Volunteer Spotlight: Habitat for Humanity’s “Frame Up on the Square”

Madison’s Capitol Square is usually a bustling place, filled with cars, suits, cyclists, and farm stands with fresh produce. On a rainy day in late June, however, the square was filled with something else entirely: stacks of lumber, ringing hammers, and nearly a dozen Dairyland employees ready to get to work. 

Habitat for Humanity, a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing homeownership, closed down a portion of the square for their “Frame Up on the Square” event. These volunteer-supported events bring community members together to build houses for families who would not otherwise be able to afford them. Dairyland has partnered with Habitat for many years and was honored to work alongside the Habitat crews once again to “frame up” walls for Habitat homes in the Madison area.  

This experience showed me how much we can achieve when we work together. I feel blessed to have made a direct difference in someone’s life today, and I am so thankful my company supports and sponsors such a life-changing mission. — Govind

Despite many of us not having any construction experience, we donned hard hats and safety glasses and got to work. The Habitat crews helped us learn the basic skills so that even the most unwieldy hammer found its nails in the end, and ensured that all finished frames were safe and sturdy for final construction. As a parting gift, we each signed our names on the frames and wrote good-luck messages to the families who would one day make these houses their homes. 

Habitat’s work creates ripples of impact far beyond building houses. They help create stability, opportunity, and a stronger foundation for families across our community. We’re grateful for the chance to join Habitat, along with many other dedicated community partners, in supporting this important mission. — Amy

The walls we helped build are destined for the Owl Creek neighborhood, where the city of Madison has set aside space for Habitat’s affordable housing. Dairyland’s “Business as a Force for Good” inspires us daily to make a positive change in the lives of others, and it’s events like these that drive home the importance of caring for our community members—one nail at a time.