People of all different walks of life come together on a Habitat construction site to volunteer and give back to their community with other like-minded people. Some come to the site to meet new people, while some come with friends and family. This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating some of the couples who volunteer with Habitat together.

Bill and Leslie met online 20 years ago, and just a few weeks later, Bill joined Leslie and her friends on a grueling 206-mile mountain bike ride—an early test of teamwork that set the tone for their relationship. They started volunteering with Habitat through their church, and in retirement, it became a regular part of their lives. Their teamwork was put to the test when Leslie eagerly followed Bill onto the roof to shingle a two-story home—only to realize she was terrified once she got up there. Still, she stayed put, handing shingles to anyone who needed them. “Leslie considers every job important and worthy of doing well. Bill has a wealth of construction knowledge (and patience) and happily shares that knowledge with Leslie no matter how many times she has to ask”.

Bonnie and Jim’s love story began in 1967 with an unexpected phone call to Bonnie’s dorm room that has now led to 55 years married this March. Bonnie first was introduced to Habitat as a graduate student at UNC in 1978, and has stayed involved with various groups since. Jim first got involved with Habitat during a trip to Guatemala in 2018, and soon, Bonnie and Jim were volunteering side by side. They enjoy learning new skills together, though not without a few mishaps—like the time Bonnie dropped her phone in a can of paint. “Bonnie is a stickler for detail. Jim is great at problem-solving.”

For Margaret and Glenn, volunteering with Habitat was part of their love story from the start. They met in 2018 at an Ackland Museum event, and when Margaret mentioned she was planning to volunteer, Glenn, a longtime donor, eagerly joined her. One of the first times they volunteered with Habitat, they helped install grab bar supports in a home at Crescent Magnolia and connected with the family. Everyone they meet on a Habitat site feels like family; it’s a true community of like-minded souls to them. “Margaret has a powerful and unstoppable desire to help people. Her technical skills and three-dimensional understanding of building is great. Most of all, I learned about her deep generosity. Glenn is painstaking, always making sure he’s investigated and thought about all the aspects that need to be accounted for. He’s a good check on my impulsiveness!”

This Valentine’s Day, we celebrate these couples and the many others who give their time, talents, and hearts to Habitat for Humanity. Because love, like a well-built home, is strongest when built together.