Spring Hill College students commit to service during spring break with Habitat for Humanity

March 8, 2007

MOBILE – MOBILE – Spring Hill College students will join more than 11,500 fellow spring breakers from across the country to participate in Habitat for Humanity’s “Collegiate Challenge.”

During the week of April 1-7, Spring Hill College students will help build simple, decent and affordable homes for families in need in Maryville, Tenn. The group has fundraised on their own to support their trip with numerous projects including bake sales, car washes and selling Krispy Kreme donuts.

The next fundraiser will be a car wash on  Saturday, March 17 at Panera Bread on Schillinger Road from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

“Last year students made such a difference by giving one week of their time to help people in need of housing,” said Alynn Woodson, Collegiate Challenge manager for Habitat for Humanity International. “Volunteering with Habitat on their breaks also gives students a great chance to travel to new locations and spend time with their friends building a home.”

More than 12,500 students have signed up to help build homes in 235 locations as part of this year’s Collegiate Challenge program. The program offers high school and college-age students year-round opportunities to use their vacations to serve a community by volunteering to build homes. 

Throughout its 18-year history, more than 139,000 students have traveled to build Habitat houses through Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge program. During this time, students raised more than $11 million through the program to pay for construction. This year alone, Collegiate Challenge students will contribute $1.4 million to help build houses.

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in Americus, Ga., in 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.