The Observer, April 18, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 25
Support Habitat for Humanity on Monday
To the Editor:
Each week, hundreds of students swing through the Village Starbucks for a treat or a study break, getting their fix and heading back to their dorms. This coming Monday night, not only can you get something yummy, but you can justify the addiction, because 50 percent of everything over normal profits for the night will be donated directly to Habitat for Humanity.
Many students have heard of the organization, and while a few may have gone to a workday or slept in boxes last fall for Let's Shack Up, most don't know about all that Habitat does in Cleveland. Habitat's most visible projects are obviously the houses that they build. In the past, students have worked primarily on three homes that are only a few minutes from campus on East 105th. The Case Western chapter of Habitat also donated over $15,000 towards the building of one of the houses. The money donated goes to provide building materials and equipment.
The families that receive these homes, however, are not just getting the prize of a lifetime. Each family must complete a designated number of hours of physical labor on the building of the house, as well as pay back the loans for the house. This is another place that Habitat steps in and helps: a house is not just handed over to the family, they are provided with financial counseling and a team of professionals who can help with the daily basics related to owning your first home.
All of this assistance is expensive, so to help offset costs, Habitat also runs a store called Restore, which is like a Home Depot, but where surplus or used supplies are sold at a great discount. Since things are donated to the store, and it is run mostly by volunteers, it is a great source of money, but it is not enough. That is why fundraisers are so important to Habitat, in order to build more homes for the millions of families who are homeless or living in substandard housing around the world.
With it going to such a good cause, how can you not spare a few minutes Monday night between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. to come over and grab something to eat? Also, for people looking for more, Habitat members will be there to answer questions and will be having the general body meeting at 8 p.m. There will also be petitions to sign and send to politicians about the local housing crisis and "welcome home" cards to make for families!
Katie Rabovsky
Undergraduate student
