College Students Unite to Build Homes with Habitat for Humanity South Palm Beach County

BOYNTON BEACH – More than eighty students from across the country will travel to Boynton Beach for their spring break to help build two Habitat for Humanity houses. 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.

Collegiate Challenge will kick-off on March 1 with a group of twenty students from Catholic University of America. Thirty-eight students from Bentley College and Virginia Tech will arrive for the second week, and twenty-five students from Indiana University and University of Alabama will arrive for the third week.

“Youth who choose to volunteer to build houses during their spring break with Habitat for Humanity are making a powerful statement about the role they want to play in helping families move into affordable housing,” said Mike Campbell, Habitat South Palm Beach executive director. “We truly appreciate the work of these youth volunteers. They are making a difference in our community by helping families in need obtain safe, decent and affordable homes.”

This spring break marks the 20th anniversary of the Collegiate Challenge program nationwide, and more than 12,000 students will travel to 200 locations to build houses through the program. Throughout its 20-year history, more than 166,000 students have participated in Collegiate Challenge, raising more than $15.5 million. This year alone, Collegiate Challenge participants will contribute $1.8 million. Locally, the students have brought nearly $10,000 to the affiliate.

To kick-off each week, a picnic is held for the students at Oceanfront Park in Boynton Beach. It is an opportunity for the students to meet the volunteers, the future homeowners and the Habitat for Humanity staff. The first picnic is being sponsored by U.S. Food Service South Florida, and a sponsor is being sought for weeks two and three. Also being sought are "Mom’s (or Dad’s) for the Day". These volunteers will come by the worksite to make sure the kids have plenty of sunscreen on, and are drinking plenty of water.

The students will be sleeping on new air mattresses, thanks to Delray Beach’s Sports Authority, and staying at the DeVos-Blum Family YMCA of Boynton Beach. Each day lunch will be provided by generous donors including Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza; Boston’s on the Beach; Chick-fil-A; City Oyster; Firehouse Subs; Delray Business Partners, a leads group of the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce; The Goldman Family; Hunters Run; JD's Subs & Salads; Jersey Mike's Subs; and St. Jude School. In the evening, dinners will be provided by the First Presbyterian Church of Boynton Beach; Abbey Delray; George and Susan Barbuty; Steve and Abbi Bentz; Boynton Woman’s Club; Ellie’s 50’s Diner; Bobbi Cooper; Ann Marie and Charley Fix; and Frank & Kimberly McKinney. Coffee District is providing morning coffee for three days. Blue Bell Ice Cream is providing snacks during the first week.

It has become a tradition for John Shelly, a long-time volunteer and advocate, to take the kids on a tour of Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge on the last day of each visit. A new tradition is for the kids to build picnic tables which will be used during their visit for lunch and then given to the new homeowners upon completion.

The 2009 Collegiate Challenge t-shirt sponsors include: All American Printing, Inc.; Blue Bell Ice Cream; Scott Pressman, The Keyes Company; Proffitt Management Solutions; Publix Super Markets Charities; Sterling Bank and Tim Grabowski Roofing. Special thanks to Penny Morgan, Event Chair; and committee members, Eileen Freund and Judy Levy.

State Farm is the national corporate sponsor of Habitat’s youth programs and is the sponsor of a 20th anniversary celebration event to recognize the students and affiliates who have made Collegiate Challenge a success over the past two decades.