NC State’s Habitat for Humanity student chapter and its Wake County affiliate announced its biggest collaboration ever at Packapalooza.

The two groups will work to raise $715,000 to “Build-A-Block” of 11 townhomes on Lake Wheeler Road for those in need. The fundraising began with the announcement on Saturday night and will conclude at the student chapter’s annual Shack-a-Thon event in 2016.

The plan is to build the first five townhomes in the fall of 2016 and the last six in the spring of 2017. The property is two-and-a-half acres and is within walking distance of both a grocery store and a bus stop.

“I’m really excited,” said Sarah Paluskiewicz, a senior studying polymer and color chemistry and president of the student chapter. “This year for the 2015-2016 school year, we’ll be fundraising for 11 sponsorships. That’s 65,000 a piece.”

Before the land can be developed, Habitat for Humanity has to get the City of Raleigh’s approval as well as pave the main road.

“You gotta remember that, right now, it’s just a dirt road,” said Jim Middleton, land development manager for the Wake affiliate. “We’ve got to do it. The approval process takes a while. We submitted in December and expected to be able to start the work in May, but we’re still waiting on some things.”

Mike Giancola, associate vice provost of student leadership and engagement, acknowledged that raising the funds wouldn’t be a simple task.

“We’re working in partnership,” Giancola said. “Habitat will take the lead, but we’re here to support. We’re hoping that the campus community, with the opportunities for sponsorship, will help sponsor homes. It’s all a big partnership.”

The student chapter, according to Giancola, builds almost every Saturday. It also works to build a house, sponsored by the annual Shack-a-Thon monies, every year.

“We’re fortunate that the Habitat affiliate in Wake County is one of the stronger affiliates in the country,” Giancola said. “We’re very fortunate to have great leadership, with Kevin [Campbell, the President/CEO] and the whole organization and the work they do here locally. Our student chapter is also directly impacted by that leadership, the coming together of the Habitat chapter and the campus community chapter.”

The Lake Wheeler property will have 16 lots in total. The first three, which are scheduled to begin construction this fall, will be managed by Lutheran Services Carolinas. The three units under the program “Building Independence” will be for disabled persons in need. Eleven will be for the NC State and Wake County Habitat for Humanity collaboration, and the final two may be used by the Lutheran Services Carolinas group or, if the fundraising exceeds expectations, NC State’s student chapter. 

“It takes dedicated people to do this,” Middleton said. “Everyone engages the volunteers, and when they get to the building sites, they tell them what they need to do for the day. It’s tough work but really great.”