Habitat for Humanity

Mission statement:

The purpose of Gustavus Habitat for Humanity as a nonprofit, Christian housing ministry is to work with both local and outside chapters as well as within our own chapter in an effort to build affordable housing for families in need. Habitat for Humanity strives to meet the needs through building, fund raising, advocacy, educating and organization consistent with our values of community, compassion, service, faith and teamwork. The Gustavus chapter provides the opportunity for spring break work trips for students.

• We work with local chapters, including St. Peter, Mankato and Waseca, on their Habitat houses. We typically help build on Saturdays when needed and can take between 5-15 volunteers depending on the job.
• Valet parking over the Nobel Conference is our most successful fund raiser each year
• Act, Speak, Build week is in the spring where we build a shed on campus to donate to the St. Peter Habitat house (the house is built at the St. Peter High School). In the past, we have brought speakers and politicians to campus to talk about homelessness and poverty issues.

Spring Break Work Trip:

Each year, Habitat coordinates spring break work trips to several destinations, typically in the southern region of the United States. This year the trip dates will be March 21- 29, 2009 and we will be driving vans to keep the cost down to $250.

The 3 sites for Spring 2009 are:

Beaumont, TX – We can take 30 students, including 5 team leaders & the site coordinator

Corpus Christi, TX- We can take 36 students, including 6 team leaders & the site coordinator

Pensacola, FL- We can take 25 students, including 4 team leaders & the site coordinator

We help build houses and help with everything from framing the house, sheet rocking, mudding & taping, painting, shingling, siding, trim work, build sheds, hanging windows, etc…it’s a great learning experience!

The site coordinators organize evening activities that take advantage of what the region has to offer. Previous trips have included a day at the beach, swamp tours in Louisiana, concerts, church dinners, kayaking in Tampa Bay, etc.

The Habitat volunteers around campus are beginning to anticipate their exciting spring break plans. Stephanie Conroy, a senior student going to Corpus Christi this spring, says she is looking forward to the trip because, “it is a chance to help out others who are in need, and it will be great to share this experience with a group of fun and wonderful people who are wanting to be on the trip for the same reasons.

It is a chance to help out others who are in need, and it will be great to share this experience with a group of fun and wonderful people..."

If you are interested in being a team leader or going on the trip, look for information in the Community Service Center and fill out an application. If you prefer, you may download and print an application and return it to the CSC. We fill the trips on a first come, first serve basis.

If you are interested in volunteering or have any questions about our Gustavus Chapter, please contact Co-Presidents: Molly mbeernin@gac.edu or Emily ehoel@gac.edu

Coordinators

Full Name	Email
	mbeernin@gustavus.edu
	ehoel@gustavus.edu