Oakton's Habitat for Humanity Club aims to help homeless

Oakton's Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter is seeking to raise $300,000 during the week of Oct. 1-6 to assist those without shelter.

This year will mark the seventh time Oakton's Habitat chapter has hosted a Shantytown project. The organization will call attention to homelessness and disaster by filling the Des Plaines campus courtyard, 1600 E. Golf Road, with makeshift shanties built from discarded materials.

The CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, Jonathan Reckford, applauded the emphasis.

"This year's theme of disaster-induced homelessness is especially fitting, given the damaging hurricane season in the U.S. and the Caribbean, the earthquake in Mexico and the monsoon rains and extensive flooding in Asia," Reckford said.

"Housing will be a critical need for thousands of affected families. The money raised by Oakton's chapter will make a difference in so many people's lives and help them rebuild for a brighter future."

Money raised will be divided equally between Habitat for Humanity Lake County (Oakton's local affiliate), Habitat for Humanity's Disaster Response program and Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County, Indiana, which is sponsoring the 2018 Jimmy Carter Work Project, which seeks to build 20 new homes.

"Sometimes people are hesitant to make donations because of the concern of where the money will go," said Marvin Bornschlegl, adviser to the college's Habitat chapter and the college's chief of Police and Emergency Management.

"All money will definitely go to assist people who are in need."

While the goal is lofty, Bornschlegl said he is confident the amount will be raised, if not exceeded.

"There's approximately 8,000 students at Oakton," Bornschlegl adds. "If each person donates $10 and contacted friends, families and neighbors about the fundraiser, we could possibly triple our goal. A lot of smaller donations can get us to the end goal just as sufficiently as one large donation."

In honor of the Oct. 2 World Habitat Day, Oakton students will spend the night in their shanties. Habitat for Humanity Lake County Marketing Director Tim Biondo is scheduled to speak at 2 p.m. that Monday in the Des Plaines campus student center. "Change for Change" collection cans will be located outside the temporary shelters.

The public can make contributions with cash or checks, payable to Oakton Community College Habitat for Humanity, which can be dropped off at the Office of Student Life.

For details, visit habitat@oakton.edu.