Natural Affinities: The Simpson Strong-Tie Partnership with Habitat for Humanity
What does it take to build stronger communities? For Simpson Strong-Tie, it starts by working with Habitat for Humanity to provide affordable housing. Simpson Strong-Tie has been a proud national sponsor of Habitat for Humanity International since 2007, forging a partnership dedicated to strengthening communities. More than $2.5 million in cash and products has been donated since the partnership began.
This past October, a dedicated team of 11 volunteers from Simpson Strong-Tie local to the area rolled up their sleeves alongside Flatirons Habitat for Humanity at BoulderMOD, a groundbreaking modular housing factory in Boulder, Colorado, engineered to deliver affordable, high-performance homes at scale.
Inside BoulderMOD: Innovation in Affordable Housing
Launched just a year ago through an innovative collaboration between Flatirons Habitat, the City of Boulder and Boulder Valley School District (BVSD), BoulderMOD is redefining the fight against the affordable housing crisis. It all began with a bold question: What if we could build faster, smarter and more sustainably while uniting the entire community in the effort?
Thanks to this state-of-the-art factory, Flatirons Habitat is scaling up dramatically, from an average of three to four homes a year to an ambitious 25. Inside, BVSD high school students gain hands-on training under the mentorship of professional builders, inspiring lifelong careers in the skilled trades.
Today, Flatirons Habitat is channeling its energy into the Ponderosa Stabilization Project. Devastated by the 2013 Colorado floods, the 55-year-old mobile home park had become unsafe for resident families. In close partnership with the City of Boulder and BVSD, Flatirons Habitat is replacing those vulnerable homes with permanently affordable, energy-efficient, net-zero residences that promise stability and sustainability for generations to come. Future projects include construction in Louisville and twelve additional homes on Violet Avenue in North Boulder.
A Day of Volunteering
When volunteering with Flatirons Habitat, the day starts at 9:00 a.m. to meet with the staff and other volunteers. After a quick briefing and receiving your personal protection equipment (PPE), it’s time to begin the assigned tasks for the day. The Simpson volunteers were split into two groups, a painting team and a door hanging team.
The painting team was given specific instructions from the staff on how to properly cut in edges, use the rollers on the walls and ceiling and touch-up areas needing more attention. As the day progressed, the bright white walls started to bring more life and light into the modules.
Installing doors proved to be quite a challenge for the team, as most of us had no prior experience in that area. Luckily, the volunteers were willing to learn and used great teamwork to hang each door. They were meticulous with their work ensuring the doors closed smoothly and were installed straight. The team worked to hang doors and paint in four different modules.
Everyone enjoyed volunteering and spending time together at the BoulderMOD facility. The finishing touches tested our patience, but we knew every detail mattered for the family who will soon call this house a home. We were also excited to see Simpson products like the Strong-Drive® SDS Heavy-Duty Connector screw in action throughout the facility. It’s rewarding to see how our work to manufacture excellent products supports Habitat’s mission.
Why It Matters and How You Can Help
If you’ve ever thought about volunteering, the BoulderMOD is a great place to start. Being in a temperature-controlled space makes it easy to donate your time all year long in Colorado. Whether you have previous experience in construction or not, there’s a way for everyone to help. Check out their website, habitat.org, to volunteer at this facility or a Habitat project site in your area. Your local Habitat for Humanity not only relies on dedicated volunteers but also on generous donations to make a lasting impact. If you’d like to support the incredible work Flatirons Habitat is doing at BoulderMOD, please consider including them in your end-of-year giving.
The Simpson Strong-Tie team looks forward to helping Habitat for Humanity and other charitable organizations annually on the company’s Do What You Can Day and throughout the year. There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing you’re helping a family in need to move into their first home or finding other impactful ways of making a tangible difference in someone’s life.
