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Habitat for Humanity Orlando needs volunteers!!!

Please read the information below and call (407) 648-4567 if you can help...spread the word please!!! www.habitat-orlando.org

We need you! ........

Here at Habitat for Humanity Orlando we are busy preparing for the second of our Convention Center Volunteer Events! We have been chosen to receive donated products from the True Value show, March 14^th -16^th at the Orange County Convention Center . 

The donated items will be sold in our ReStore (formerly Habitat Home Store) and also used in the construction of our homes. All of the funds raised at the ReStore help to ensure the success of our mission.

The True Value show is a huge undertaking, with over 1,500 vendors. We received 171 pallets of donated items from last months trade show and we expect to get about that same amount at this one.  We will be at the Convention Center for four days and will need over 100 volunteers total.

Below is a schedule of shifts for the show. Volunteers are needed to help confirm donations with vendors, gather donations, palletize and wrap donations, and to manage the market carts. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old or older per Convention Center regulations.

Friday March 14, 2008

7:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Shifts are 7:00 AM- 12:00 PM, 12:00-4:30 PM, and 4:30-8:00 PM

20 volunteers are needed to hand out and receive market carts and give information to guests.

Saturday March 15, 2008

7:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Shifts are 7:00 AM- 12:00 PM, 12:00-5:00 PM, 5:00-8:00 PM

20 volunteers are needed to hand out and receive market carts and give information to guests.

Sunday March 16, 2008

6:00 PM- 12:00 AM

100 volunteers are needed at the convention center to help us stage the materials; get donation confirmation from vendors, gather donations, put it on pallets and shrink wrap.

Monday March 17, 2008

7:00 AM- 9:00 PM

7:00 AM- 12:00 PM, 12:00-5:00 PM, and 5:00-9:00 PM

70 volunteers are needed at the convention center to help us stage the materials; gather donations, put it on pallets and shrink wrap.

Please forward this email to anyone you know who is available to volunteer. Groups are welcome!

Thank you for your continued support of Habitat for Humanity Orlando!

Things to consider

Oh snap, I can work from home? Count me in! That's a normal first thought. But before you get all super excited you must realize that there are some things to consider. Let's look at a few:

Expenses - There can often be various expenses involved with working from home that you would not incur in the typical office setting. Let's look at a few possibilities:

• Communications - You may be required to have unlimited long distance, a dedicated telephone line, specific headset, high speed internet, etc. These things may not be reimbursed by the company.
• Equipment - You may have to use a separate desktop computer not intended for personal use, printer, copier and/or fax machine. These may not be supplied by the employer.
• Office Supplies - You will be responsible for your own supplies such as pens, notepads, staplers, folders, printer paper, etc. You may also need a lockable file cabinet.

Please note that while these things may be your own expense and not reimbursed by the employer, they are tax deductible. Why? Because you have now setup your very own home office.

Lifestyle - Have you considered if your lifestyle is right for telecommuting? Think about this:

• Full House - Do you have small kids, pets or party loving roommates? If you are doing inbound or outbound calling you may want to reconsider telecommuting. These employers require a quite work environment. It's not impossible though, if you feel you can arrange for a sitter, have a yard for the dog or can tame your roommates during your shift then go for it!
• Schedule - Sometimes you will not have a set schedule. You may need to be flexible. Which means you may have to sacrifice college night or the weekend trip. You may not have the same days off each week, or have the same hours.
• Boxed In - You've got to keep in mind that you will be living at home and working at home. Keyword: HOME! If you are the type that cannot stand being in the same place too much, this may not be the right match for you.

Income - Everyone needs, wants and loves $$$$. Let's evaluate the most common pay topics:

• Pay-rate - Keep in mind that working from home generally does not cater to the typical income. Because of the simple facts that you do not have the expenses of gasoline or work attire, companies tend to pay a lower rate for telecommuters. Working in call centers on average is $10 - $14 per hour to start. Working at home in a "virtual call center" may be anywhere from $7 - $9. Of course there are ways to earn more through bonuses, incentives and promotion.
• Pay Structure - Always, I repeat always find out the pay structure of the company you apply for. Some pay by the hour, by talk time, by sales, etc. Talk time is considered the amount of time you are actually on calls. If you work a 4 hour shift and take 6 calls, each lasting 10 minutes at a talk time pay rate of $0.17 per minute, you will be paid for 1 hour of work. This would equal $10.20 for you shift. Keep that in mind if accepting a pay for talk time position as slow call volume can equal low or no pay.
• Pay Frequency - When do you get paid? It is important to know if you will be paid weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc. Also, payment options. Does the employer offer pay options other than checks? Such as direct deposit or a pay card.
• Status - Employer vs. contractor. Does it matter...oh yes! Generally being considered an employee means you will have federal and/or state taxes deducted and may be eligible for benefits. Being a contractor generally means you are responsible for your own tax payments as federal and/or state taxes are not deducted and usually no benefits are offered. However, this differs and depends on the company.

TIP: Patience is essential! Getting a telecommuting job can take time. Sometimes you won't hear from a company for months! Don't submit a new application every month. Check with the company to see how long they keep your application on file and don't resubmit until that time has passed. Apply to more than one company. Apply to every company that interests you, the more the better. Don't quit your job thinking you will get hired next week. Often getting a job from home is harder than getting employed outside the home. Again, patience is essential!

So, those are just a few things to consider. The basics you should know when considering an at home job. Now all you need to do is ponder if this is the right option for you.

The Beginning...

So last night I was beyond bored and started "nosing the net" as usual. Remember that commercial where the dude thinks he's reached the end of the internet? Well that's how I felt after about 20 minutes. I usually have billions of things I want to find out...Google is almost my best friend! But I grow very tired of having to explore dozens of sites trying to find the simple info I want at that very second. I'm 26, getting very impatient and I basically wish there were someone who could just recommend the exact page I want to see. So, light bulb flashed in my cute head, lol. I'll make my own flippin source of recommended pages. But not just that. Since I have SO many random things to say, I'm going to just sound off on whatever pops in my head. Scared to see where this leads to...it's only day one!