Board Spotlight: Jack Batchelor
It takes a village to build a house, and this month we’d like to recognize a significant person in our village, Jack Batchelor. Jack currently serves as a board member of Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity (SNHfH) and has also served as our board president. Prior to his retirement and volunteering with our organization, Jack served as the Mayor of of Dixon and as a peace officer with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Jack first became acquainted with SNHfH while serving as the Mayor of Dixon. Other board members at that time, including Gerry Raycraft and Ann Cousineau, met with Jack to discuss a potential build in Dixon to help local, unhoused Veterans.
“The Veterans Residence in Dixon was the first of its kind in the nation, and when they described the project to me – the shared housing component, and how it would benefit our local Veterans – they asked if I would be interested, and my answer was – absolutely!”
Jack loaded the Habitat group in his truck and drove them around the city to look at potential sites, including what became the project’s future home on So. Jackson Street. Together with several partners and sponsors, including Community Action North Bay and Solano County, the 6-bedroom Veterans Residence was built, with a dedication ceremony held on August 24th, 2019. Jack was there to help cut the ribbon, and this experience paved the way for him to become more involved with the organization. When asked to join the Solano-Napa Habitat board, his answer was once again a resounding “absolutely!”
Because of the relationships built during his tenure as Mayor, coupled with his knowledge on securing government grants, Jack has been an invaluable resource for Habitat. In addition to his work garnering significant funding for Habitat’s builds, Jack volunteers his time at ReStore and utilizes his love of barbecuing to feed our volunteer teams and partner families at various events. During Covid, Jack helped us navigate the complexities of local restrictions and played a critical role in helping ReStore safely keep their doors open and financially weather the pandemic. He referred to himself as the “Walmart Greeter of ReStore” and is known for welcoming customers with a smile and offering to help load purchased items.
“Habitat is such a great organization, offering a hand up and not a hand out,” said Jack. “All of us on the board and staff have a high level of integrity, trustworthiness, and dedication to the community, and I think it’s what makes us so successful as an affiliate.”
When asked what he wants others to know who might not yet be involved with Habitat, his answer was, “Anybody can do this. You don’t have to be an elected official, you just have to have a desire to see our low income neighbors provide a safe home for their families. Seeing some of the conditions people have to live in before getting their Habitat home was gut wrenching for me. Public service with Habitat is very rewarding, and seeing the families move into their home is the ultimate reward.”
Please join us in thanking Jack for his dedication and heart for public service – his involvement with Habitat is a true gift! Keep an eye out for future newsletters as we spotlight more SNHfH board members.
