Thanks to a generous gift, the Ohio University chapter of Habitat for Humanity will be able to make one family's dream of a new home a reality.
State Farm recently gave one of its annual $10,000 campus Habitat for Humanity chapter grants to Ohio University, allowing the university group the opportunity to fund its first-ever student-build.
The project will break ground at the end of Winter Quarter, OU Habitat for Humanity president Skyler McCully said.
McCully, who is a senior studying middle childhood education, said the group aspires to finish the 12-week-long build in early June and will sustain a partnership with the Athens Habitat for Humanity chapter, which is co-sponsoring the build and matching the amount of money the OU chapter contributes.
McCully said Habitat for Humanity is a valuable experience for college students who are not always able to see the impoverished state of housing away from campus.
Wherever anyone goes in life
Habitat for Humanity is international McCully said. It's a rewarding experience for them and it gets them to help within their community.
Although the name of the family has not yet been released, McCully said the new house will be built in Jacksonville off Route 13, near where Habitat for Humanity has built two other homes.
Athens Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Kenneth Oehlers said the Athens division will provide supervisors and other materials the OU chapter will need to complete the build.
To see that come to fruition and to see the work ethic of these college students is just fantastic
Oehlers said.
He said that the OU chapter regularly provides staffing during builds for the Athens chapter, which has built 26 houses in the area since 1990.
They do a lot of really good things for the community
Oehlers said. I think that this build will give them a chance to shine in their own right.
OU Habitat for Humanity Vice President Sara Flecher said the grant is a welcome gift.
I personally felt like our area was also deserving of the grant money because we
Athens County
have been named the poorest county in Ohio
said Flecher, a senior studying management information systems and geographic information systems. And because our county is poor
our Habitat chapters have a harder time raising funds.
Flecher said she is excited to help the Athens community.
As students
we are fortunate to live comfortably in our campus bubble
Flecher said. Working with Habitat for Humanity to help build a house is a way to give back to the Athens community that has been our home away from home.
McCully said the group plans to raise $7,000 more before the end of the school year so that their build can be fully funded.
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