Press Release

Media Event and Photo Opportunity

Young Adults Give Time to Habitat for Humanity

As February comes to a close, it is time to look forward to warmer weather in anticipation of spring.  For many college and high school students their spring break will be spent here in Harrisburg helping Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area eliminate poverty housing.  The students are participants of Collegiate Challenge, a Habitat for Humanity program that provides year-round opportunities for youth to use their vacations to help build homes. 

Between March 1st and April 9th, more than 50 students from the northeastern United States will call Harrisburg home while working on homes for Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area.  Over the next five weeks, students from Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island, Curry College in Milton, MA, Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven and Our Lady of Good Council in Olney, Maryland will work at Habitat sites in the City of Harrisburg.

Each student has raised funds for Habitat to be a part of the program.  The donations will be presented to Habitat for Humanity while the groups are in town.

“Our goal here at Habitat is to eliminate poverty housing and these young adults are giving up their free time to help make that happen,” said Antron Watson, Project Administrator for Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area.  Watson first became involved with Habitat as a collegiate challenge member as an undergraduate at Temple University.  “There is a long list of other things these students could be doing with their spring break. It is nice to know that these volunteers will be making a difference by coming to our community and helping families obtain safe, affordable homes.”

Locally, Habitat for Humanity will also lean on some local neighbors to help make these four weeks successful.  The Crosspoint United Methodist Church, Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church and Eric Bartholomew are providing either sleeping space or food during their stay in Harrisburg.

This spring break marks the 21st anniversary of the Collegiate Challenge program nationally, and more than 12,000 students will travel to 200 locations to build houses through the program in 2010.  Throughout its 21-year history, more than 175,000 students have participated in Collegiate Challenge, raising more than $15.5 million.                                          

Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area is an ecumenical ministry that welcomes all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Through volunteer labor, tax deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat for Humanity builds new homes, rehabs and repairs homes and provides educational workshops.  Homes are sold to partner families at no profit and with no-interest mortgages.  Since its inception in 1986, the Harrisburg area affiliate has built 50 houses in the Harrisburg, PA area providing simple, decent and affordable homes with families in need. For more information, visit www.harrisburghabitat.org or contact the Habitat office at 545-7299.

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NOTE:  If anyone is interested in an interview or would like to get photos or video at the sites, please contact Mark Mattern to arrange.