Campus Habitat for Humanity Chapter Receives Award, Grant

UC Berkeley's Habitat for Humanity chapter has been recognized as the organization's Campus Chapter of the Year, and will receive the award in October.

Cal Habitat for Humanity was nominated by local affiliate Habitat for Humanity East Bay and chosen out of 500 high school and college chapters for the award.

In addition to the award, Cal Habitat received a $5,000 grant from State Farm Insurance to be used for a volunteer trip.

UC Berkeley's Habitat chapter had 304 members during the fall 2008 who contributed a total of 180 volunteer hours per week, for a grand total of 2,340 volunteer hours during the entire semester, according to Eliza Schissel, the liaison between Habitat for Humanity East Bay and the UC Berkeley's chapter.

"Cal Habitat has demonstrated impressive leadership by mobilizing hundreds of members of the Cal community to volunteer and fundraise to build Habitat homes," said Janice Jensen, the President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity East Bay.

According to Jay Garg, a UC Berkeley senior and chapter president, the campus chapter has been around for more than 10 years and has at least one project for members to work on every weekend.

"We have some pretty strong affiliates and community partners in the area," Garg said, commenting on how the chapter finds its volunteer projects. "We also do projects around Berkeley like food kitchens, shelters and food banks."

In selecting Cal Habitat, Desiree Adaway, Senior Director of Volunteer Mobilization for Habitat for Humanity International, said that a committee selected a winner and four honorable mentions from among the nominations.

"Evaluations were based on Habitat Campus Chapter Standards of Excellence efforts, which include building, fundraising, advocacy and education, by a panel of Habitat for Humanity International and State Farm representatives," said Nakia Fowler, spokesperson for Habitat for Humanity.

According to Schissel, Cal Habitat and Habitat for Humanity East Bay are partners, working together in order to build affordable housing for deserving limited-income families in the East Bay.

"We are grateful for Cal Habitat's remarkable support, and (are) honored to partner with them," Schissel said.

Tags: UC BERKELEY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY