The Playhouse Program is Back!
September 27, 2026
Popular teambuilding program that builds children’s playhouses resumes after three-year hiatus
At Habitat for Humanity of Durham, we know building community can take many forms—and sometimes, it looks like a child-sized house filled with bright colors, imagination and a whole lot of love.
In 2026, Durham Habitat is continuing to grow its Playhouse Program, a unique volunteer and corporate team-building experience that brings together local businesses, community partners and volunteers to build and decorate custom playhouses for children and nonprofit organizations throughout the Triangle.
Since the program began, 183 playhouses have been built, creating hundreds of opportunities for volunteers to put their hands—and hearts—to work while raising critical funds to support Durham Habitat’s mission of building and repairing affordable homes in our community.
The program was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the spirit behind it never stopped.
Durham Habitat President and CEO Nimasheena Burns says the program represents exactly the kind of partnership the organization wants to expand.
“A playhouse may be small, but the impact behind it is anything but small. One build brings together a company, its employees, Habitat volunteers, another community organization and ultimately a child or family who gets to experience the joy of what they created. At the same time, those dollars help us continue the serious work of building affordable housing here in Durham. That is community building in every sense of the word.”
Durham Habitat is especially grateful for the extraordinary commitment of longtime volunteer Gene Carlone, who has tirelessly volunteered on every Playhouse build since the program’s inception. Even while the program was paused, Carlone continued helping keep volunteers connected and engaged so Durham Habitat would have the foundation needed to kick-start the program again.
“Gene is part of the story of this program,” Burns said. “There are people who volunteer for an event, and then there are people who become part of the fabric of an organization. Gene has kept showing up, kept encouraging others to show up, and helped preserve this program until we were ready to build again. We are tremendously thankful for him.”
A Build Day With a Bigger Purpose
During Playhouse Build Days, Durham Habitat volunteers guide teams of approximately 12 to 20 participants through the construction, design and decoration of a children’s playhouse.
The completed playhouse is then donated to a nonprofit organization selected by the participating group, allowing one day of service to benefit multiple parts of the community.
Over the years, playhouses have supported organizations including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange Counties, the Central/Eastern Carolinas chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Dress for Success, Hope Reins and Urban Ministries of Durham, among others.
For participating businesses and organizations, the experience is more than a traditional volunteer day. Teams work together, problem-solve, build something tangible and have an opportunity to see the immediate result of their service.
And there is plenty of room for new partners.
Durham Habitat is actively seeking companies, organizations and groups interested in participating in upcoming Playhouse Build Days in 2026 and beyond.
“This is an invitation,” Burns said. “If your company has been looking for a meaningful way to bring your team together, serve Durham and support affordable homeownership, come build with us. You do not have to know how to swing a hammer. You just have to be willing to show up. We’ll take it from there.”
Participating groups make a $2,500 donation, which helps cover Playhouse materials while also generating resources to support Durham Habitat’s broader homebuilding and community development work.
Longtime corporate partners have demonstrated the lasting appeal of the program. Blue Cross NC, for example, first participated in a Playhouse build in 2014 and continued participating annually until the pandemic-related pause.
“Our employees love the Playhouse Program! They are able to have a wonderful teambuilding experience and stretch their creative skills, all while benefiting local nonprofits—it truly is a win-win for everyone,” said Sophie McMillian, senior community and diversity program manager at Blue Cross NC.
As Durham Habitat looks ahead, Burns says the organization sees the Playhouse Program as another door through which the community can become connected to its affordable housing mission.
“Durham’s housing challenges require all of us,” Burns said. “There is a place in this work for everybody—the corporation looking for a service project, the volunteer with decades of experience, the person picking up a hammer for the first time, and the donor who simply believes every family deserves a place to call home. The Playhouse Program gives people an entry point into that work, and we want to open that door even wider.”
Organizations interested in reserving a Playhouse Build Day can complete the Playhouse request form. Build Days are held at the TROSA warehouse, 1810 E. Main Street in Durham.
To learn more about Durham Habitat’s Playhouse Program and upcoming opportunities, visit durhamhabitat.org/playhouse or contact Durham Habitat directly.
183 playhouses and counting. One volunteer at a time. One partnership at a time. One community building for another.
At Durham Habitat, all roads lead home.