At least 13 families in Alabama have new affordable homes thanks to the aerial lift company Skyjack and other companies that participated in a Habitat for Humanity project last month.
Skyjack donated one of its VR843E telehandlers to help haul and lift roofing material onto new homes that were built in Birmingham for low-income families.
The donation was part of the Home Builders Blitz national event, in which professional builders and industries partnered with the charity to build, renovate and repair homes throughout the US.
Saved Time and Effort
Karen Peterlin, director of development for Habitat for Humanity’s Birmingham chapter, said Skyjack’s contribution definitely made the construction project go smoother.
“Skyjack’s contribution helped us work more efficiently, thus saving resources — particular ensuring materials were available on each of the building sites,” Peterlin said in a news release. “We really liked the machine’s capabilities. It allowed us to save time and eased our operations.”
Specifically, the telehandler was used to lift loads of shingles onto the houses’ roofs, where volunteers hammered them into place. Each time a load of shingles was loaded onto a home’s roof, it saved an estimated four hours of labor in which volunteers would have had to haul the materials up by hand.
The telehandler also helped reduce the number of people needed per roofing job, which allowed volunteers to work on other jobs at the massive construction site during the weeklong project.
More than Enough Power
The VR843E has a maximum lift height of 43 feet and a maximum lifting capacity of 8,000 lbs., which was more than enough to handle the needs of the Habitat for Humanity project. It also has a 28 foot maximum forward reach, a 12 foot turning radius, and a three-speed transmission with power shift.
This was the ninth consecutive year Habitat for Humanity has sponsored the Home Builders Blitz project. This year, the charity’s goal was to build 250 homes in 35 states.
’30 for 30′
Skyjack’s donation came as part of its “30 for 30 PARTNERS” anniversary campaign, which celebrates the aerial lift company’s 30 years in the materials handling industry. The Habitat for Humanity donation is one of 30 different donations the company will make to charities around the world, according to Malcolm Early, Skyjack’s marketing vice president.
“Everyone at Skyjack is very excited to be in our 30th year in business and to celebrate by giving back to our dedicated supporters with the ’30 for 30 PARTNERS’ program,” Early said. “Habitat for Humanity is a great cause, and I am happy that Skyjack is able to help 13 families receive affordable homes. I am looking forward to all of the different projects Skyjack will be supporting during the next year.”
Habitat for Humanity organizes building projects around the world to help homeless and low-income people get affordable homes. The charity also helps families affected by natural disasters and political unrest.
In the US, the charity works with more than 1,400 affiliates. Worldwide, there are more than 70 national chapters that collectively have helped more than 1 million people.