Gallery • 4 Photos

Photo by Photo used with permission of Julia Becich

Students volunteering at Habitat for Humanity build days.

In the wide variety of clubs available for students to participate in, Habitat for Humanity is the only philanthropic club whose mission is to provides affordable housing for those that qualify and create a communal atmosphere.

In 2006, a few students who were already volunteering independently with Habitat for Humanity decided to create the club at Lake Zurich. In the 11 years since the clubs inception, it has grown to 35-40 active participants. Those participants serve as advocates for the international organization, and raise awareness for Habitat for Humanity’s mission of creating “a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”

“Those who are active participants are affected in a number of ways; because of their interaction with the people are receiving these houses, they become more empathetic to the people who are in need, and the stories that they bring. They are also affected because if they go to build sites, they will actively learn how to work construction from every phase of it,”  Joe May, Habitat for Humanity club sponsor, said.

Student volunteers in Habitat for Humanity go to build sites and participate in construction, like planting lawns, painting houses, putting up walls, and also help run the fundraisers held at school for the club.

“One of the most impactful moments from the club this year was during first semester. We had a build day where students who were participating in it not only got an opportunity to work on the construction of the house, but they were also able to witness a groundbreaking ceremony, so they could see the beginnings of how these houses are put together and the families they affect,” May said.

So far this year Habitat for Humanity has done an array of fundraisers, according to Allison Pahios, Habitat for Humanity club president, including Act! Speak! Build! Week, and has another fundraiser coming up on May 12 at Panda Express.

“The club wants to raise money for the organization and for our specific club, so we can go on build days. Without fundraising, we can’t go to the build sites where we can actually help people,” Pahios said.