Like many teenagers, Zac Cooke was eagerly awaiting his sixteenth birthday, the age that meant that not only could he obtain his driver’s license but he could also start volunteering at Habitat.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Zac, now 16, spends a lot of his free time volunteering. In spite of his busy schedule, Zac has already put in over a hundred hours with Habitat.

“It helps that my dad would dedicate his Saturdays to volunteering when I was growing up. I remember wanting to go with him,” he said.

Zac has had the chance to work alongside his father on a few of the build sites, and he often helps baby-sit future Habitat homeowners’ children so they can attend their mandatory Habitat classes. However, it’s the HabiStore that is Zac’s favorite place to work.

“I really enjoy working at the HabiStore because I get to interact with people,” he said. “I also like helping people find the items they need.”

Zac says he has made some good friends through Habitat, and can name all the workers at the HabiStore. He enjoys seeing familiar faces at build sites and group meetings.

Adapted from a story written by Sierra Russell