Habitat for Humanity
Gustavus Habitat for Humanity works with local affiliates and chapters from around the country to build affordable housing for families in need. The Gustavus chapter provides the opportunity for alternative breaks (fall and spring), Act! Speak! Build! Week, and various local service opportunities throughout the year.
Mission
Habitat for Humanity strives to meet the needs of affordable housing through building, fund raising, advocacy, education and organizing consistent with our values of community, compassion, service, engagement and teamwork.
What does Habitat for Humanity do? Here is a 2-minute video that explains Habitat: Habitat for Humanity You Tube video 
Past Trips
2024 Spring Break Sites: Amarillo, TX; Winston-Salem, NC; Richmond, VA; Santa Fe, NM; Thibodaux, LA
2023 Spring Break Sites: Taos, NM; Houston TX, Thibodaux, LA; Elizabethtown, KY; Winston-Salem, NC
2022 Spring Break Sites: Amarillo, TX; Loveland, CO; Lexington, VA; Bel Air, MD Recap Video of 2022 Spring Break Trips!
2019 Spring Break Sites: Mobile, AL; Taos, NM; Vail Valley, CO; Johns Island, SC
2018 Spring Break Sites: Winston-Salem, NC; Taos, NM; Lafayette, LA
Trip Advisor Information
Trip Advisor guidelines: Habitat for Humanity Trip Advisor Guidelines
Fall Break Home-Building Trip
Fall Break Trip 2024: Crow Creek Reservation in Fort Thompson, SD
Annual Activities
- We work with local chapters, including St. Peter, Mankato and Nicollet, on their Habitat houses. We typically help build on Saturdays when needed and can take between 5-15 volunteers depending on the job.
- We raise funds throughout the year to support the program and individual costs for participating in alternative spring breaks. Offering valet parking for the Nobel Conference every fall is one example.
- Act, Speak, Build week is in the fall raise awareness about brought speakers and politicians to campus to talk about homelessness and poverty issues, we learn about advocacy issues, and we reveal the Spring Break sites!
- Every spring break, Gustavus sends up to 100 students to Habitat for Humanity affiliate sites to participate in the Collegiate Challenge, an alternative break program. Students travel across the country to spend a week constructing houses and rebuilding communities. The Collegiate Challenge is one of Gustavus Habitat for Humanity's biggest successes each year by getting volunteers to spend their time in a meaningful and rewarding way while raising awareness on housing issues across the nation. Gusties have been doing Spring Break trips since 1990!
- New for Spring 2025! We are hosting a table at the campus and commumity wide MLK Day of Service event. This is a new event this semester and we are so excited to be a part of it!
Follow us!
Instagram: GAC Habitat for Humanity
| Name | Role | Gustavus Email Address |
|---|---|---|
| Hannah Brenke | President | hbrenke@gustavus.edu |
| Ava White | Senior Trip Coordinator | avawhite@gustavus.edu |
| Abby Housker | Spring Break Trip Coordinator | houskera@gustavus.edu |
| Ellie Leach | Public Relations | ellieleach@gustavus.edu |
| Eliana Maciej | Habitat Week Coordinator | elianamaciej@gustavus.edu |