Core Krew volunteer Scott Vandenhengel builds purpose into retirement

Retired physical therapist Scott Vandenhengel traded his clinic tools for a hammer, finding fulfillment and community volunteering with York Habitat for Humanity’s Core Krew.

When Scott Vandenhengel retired from his career as a physical therapist in 2018, he knew he wanted to spend his time giving back. After moving to York from Mechanicsburg in 2020, he found a sense of purpose and a new community swinging hammers and mudding walls with York Habitat for Humanity. 

Though Scott didn’t have a background in construction, he had always enjoyed doing projects around the house. In becoming a Core Krew member, he was able to expand his DIY skills and experience while also helping break cycles of generational poverty for York County-based families.   

“Habitat was a way to give back and get your hands dirty,” he says. “I like Habitat because you’re doing something for the person, raising them up, which for me is very important. They’re the working poor. They have a job but are just trying to get ahead.” ​

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​Finding family in the Core Krew

Now a dedicated member of York Habitat’s Core Krew, a group of skilled volunteers who show up week after week to keep builds moving forward, Scott finds fulfillment in both the work and the people.  

“I always wanted to volunteer in retirement,” he says. “Habitat was just a good way for me to do that. I enjoy the people I work with and the experience.” 

The tight-knit nature of the Core Krew has become one of the highlights of his retirement. The team of eight to 10 has built not only homes, but also deep and lasting friendships.  

“It’s kind of a family when we get together,” Scott says.  

Learning, growing, and giving back

Scott’s time on project sites has taught him more than just how to frame a doorway or hang drywall. It’s shown him what’s possible when people come together for a common purpose. For him, it’s the tangible results that make volunteering with Habitat so meaningful.  

“We’ve already built six units at Chestnut and are working on another four. We did homes on Pine Street and in Red Lion, all in the four years I’ve been there,” he says. “I think that’s quite an impact for people that could never own a home. To me, to be able to help them out to get their foot in the door, that’s neat.” 

At the same time, Scott has used volunteering with Habitat to hone his construction and carpentry skills, whether that’s framing, hanging drywall, or mudding.  

A call to future volunteers

For anyone who’s thought about volunteering, Scott encourages them to give Habitat a try, even if construction feels intimidating. As someone who had little experience in the construction world before becoming a Habitat for Humanity Core Krew member, he has seen how dedicating the time and energy to learning something new can have a real impact.  

“You gotta give it a chance,” he says. “For me, who doesn’t have a real background, I was a little leery at first. Once you do it, it turns out to be really good.”  

At the same time, he encourages volunteers to go beyond the standard once or twice a year volunteer opportunity and make giving back a regular part of life.  

“I think everyone should volunteer, even if not with Habitat,” he says. “If you’re so blessed to have everything that was given to you, you should be able to give back to something else.”