A home renovations charity has welcomed a fresh executive director as it heads to a new chapter, 25 years on from its founding.

Sandra Christensen took up the post at Habitat for Humanity of Bermuda this month.

She has worked alongside Sheelagh Cooper, who has been closely involved with the Bermuda chapter of the international charity founded in 2000, including leading it as chairwoman.

Ms Christensen said she had “immense shoes to fill” and admitted the change has been “overwhelming”.

She added that she was confident the demands of the job would push her to do her best.

Ms Christensen said: “Until you actually walk into one of these homes that we’re taking care of, you don’t really grasp the severity of the issues that some of our people are dealing with.

“That’s what keeps me — and all of the charities that I’ve been involved with — going.”

Habitat for Humanity refurbishes and expands inadequate homes to ensure people in need have livable housing.

The charity has locations in more than 70 countries and has helped more than 62 million people since its founding in 1976.

Ms Christensen, whose career in Bermuda spans 17 years, has worked for charities such as Saving Children and Revealing Secrets and raised more than $700,000 over the course of her career.

She said that she kept herself committed to the causes of the charities because of the extent to which people in Bermuda relied on the services provided.

Ms Christensen said: “The greatest lesson that I think all Bermudians need to learn is how unbelievable the need is.

“It really does pump one up to keep going and raise as much money as you can and help as much as you can.”

Ms Christensen said that she joined Habitat for Humanity about four years ago to help raise funds through events and partnerships.

She said that because she worked closely under Ms Cooper, leading the charity felt like a “natural transition”.

Ms Christensen explained that she was asked to get a certificate in fundraising management through the Non-Profit Alliance of Bermuda.

She added that although she knew she would become the new director, the transition did not hit her until she began to go over paperwork two months ago.

Ms Christensen said: “When we really sat down and said, ‘OK, this is happening, let’s go over the job description and talk salary’, I thought, it’s not just an idea any more.”

Now that she is in the post, Ms Christensen said that she hoped to make operations more efficient and streamlined so people could be living in quality housing more quickly.

She said: “We have a lot of projects, a lot of need and a lot of demand, so we have to make sure that we’re not overwhelming our contractors while at the same time not ignoring the need and making sure we have the money.”

Ms Christensen admitted it was “a big learning curve” to balance her new responsibilities, which include overseeing projects and working with other charities.

She said that her organisational background had proven to be a great help, adding: “It hasn’t been too daunting because I’ve done things like this before.”

Ms Christensen admitted that working in the third sector could be challenging but that the efforts were worthwhile, thanks to the feeling of reward.

She noted how she was once able to start a fundraiser that turned a derelict building into an “absolutely top-notch” treatment centre.

Ms Christensen said: “Understanding that difference that we’re making, just by bricks and mortar, is very important.”

She added: “When you understand what the need is and how you’re filling that need, it’s very rewarding, to say the least.”

Ms Cooper congratulated Ms Christensen on her new appointment.

She said: “We are delighted to have Sandra in this new leadership role.

“The charity has grown substantially over the past few years and it’s really necessary now to have a full-time person at the helm.”