Habitat for Humanity Sees Spring Break Surge

Tuesday June 20, 2006

Non-profit homebuilder Habitat for Humanity reports that an "extremely generous outpouring of support" from students helped make a difference during spring break in storm slammed Gulf Coast states this year. Habitat spokeswoman Molly Parrish says that 1,531 students have volunteered to rebuild houses in hurricane-affected communities in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama through Habitat's Collegiate Challenge program since the memorable storms of September 2005. Two-thirds of college-age volunteers who've lined up lately to swing hammers for Habitat on the Gulf worked during the spring break months of March and April.

Habitat spokeswoman Molly Parrish said today, "Every year the Southeast United States (Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North and South Carolina) is our most requested Spring Break destination and 2006 was no different." Parrish also said the agency was "bombarded with thousands of students and schools" asking to help after hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast in September. The majority of the offers were made before infrastructure was in place to allow the hosting of out of town volunteers, Parrish said.

Sarah-Jane Wilton of student travel agency STA also reported that spring break volunteerism, along with several alternative destinations to normal spring break stomping sands, was up this year; Wilton said, "We are finding that each year, more students are looking beyond the wet t-shirt competitions and beach scene of Cancun, and instead seeking out a different type of experience." (Read the story: "Acapulco tops; alternatives gaining popularity").

Want to do some volunteering yourself? Get the skinny:

Read more about Habitat for Humanity volunteer programs
Read more about alternative spring break ideas

^{Related: Spring break volunteer opportunities | International student volunteer programs | Spring Break Destinations 2007

Photos: © Habitat for Humanity}