My name is John Ario and I am Habitat!

“Habitat is unique in that it provides housing that is not given and requires the family to work on their house, they have a vested interest in their home which adds to the success of the work.”

– John Ario, Cornerstone Construction Leader

Q. What career or profession were you involved in before joining Habitat as a Cornerstone Leader on our construction sites?

A. 30+ years in commercial construction ended in QC/Safety, also the go to for code questions and ADA compliance.  Qualifying individuals for our out-of-state general contractor licenses in about 25 jurisdictions (still am).  20 years USAF in ground electronics, always managed to find some sort of construction project to get involved with.

Q. What initially drew you to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and how did you first get involved with Trinity Habitat for Humanity?

A. Not really sure what got me involved with Habitat. I just knew I had to find a job when I retired from my construction job (still have that construction job because of my license).

Q. How have the skills or experiences from your previous career or profession translated into your work on the Habitat for Humanity construction site?

A. Commercial work is a bit different than residential, but it transitions pretty easily.  The basics and the leadership do transfer very well.

Q. What is a memorable experience or project from your time with Trinity Habitat for Humanity that reaffirmed your passion for the work?

A.) No single experience comes to mind, just the overall experience of seeing families realizing their first home and what it will mean to them.  The number of volunteers that show up to build these homes and show up for no reason other than to help.  Many of them have never done any kind of “work” before and enjoy this, and many first-timers come back.

Q. What aspects of Habitat for Humanity’s mission stand out to you?

A. Habitat is unique in that it provides housing that is not given and requires the family to work on their house, they have a vested interest in their home which adds to the success of the work.