Evansville, Indiana (March 3, 2009) – Nine students from the University of Virginia are spending their spring break vacation helping Habitat for Humanity of Evansville. The students are members of Alternative Spring Break, a student-run organization that conducts service projects during the fall, winter, spring, and summer breaks for University of Virginia students. The group works on projects across the United States and abroad.

On Monday, the students painted and roofed yard barns at the affiliate’s warehouse on N. Fares Ave. On Tuesday, they were scheduled to work at a house at the New Haven subdivision.

Student Hanna McCollester is the site leader who chose Habitat as one of three places the students would visit this week. She chose Habitat of Evansville because of the response she received from the affiliate, and the university already has an active Habitat chapter as well. Each year, members of sororities and fraternities raise $60,000 for an Inter-Greek Habitat Build.

“I’m from Indiana, so I knew I wanted to make a stop here,” McCollester said.
Nalin Chuapetcharasopon, a student from Thailand, said she built two Habitat homes in her hometown. She’s excited about helping to build in the United States.

“I really enjoyed building the houses, but I didn’t know it would be so cold here,” she said.

The students are staying at St. Paul Lutheran Church on East Michigan while in Evansville. They will leave Evansville on Wednesday morning and head to Des Moines, Iowa, where they will help flood victims.

About Habitat for Humanity of Evansville
Founded in 1984, Habitat for Humanity of Evansville is a nonprofit Christian ministry whose mission is to build and sell simple, decent houses to hardworking families in Vanderburgh and Posey counties. We partner with individuals, churches, businesses and civic organizations who share our vision to make adequate, affordable housing for all a matter of conscience and action.

To be eligible, families must have incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median income. They must have a need for housing, be willing to contribute 300 hours in sweat equity and have the ability to pay their mortgage based on a 25-year, no-interest loan.

For more information, go to www.evansvillehabitat.org or call (812) 423-5623.