Habitat uses sleep-out to awaken 'U'

LSA sophomore Somer Bishop spent last night shivering on the Diag.

"I have more clothes on than I own, so hopefully that will keep me warm," Bishop said.

Bishop was one of about 15 students who participated in a sleep-out last night organized by the University's chapter of Habitat for Humanity. The event was part of a week-long effort to publicize the need for affordable housing.

Designating this week as Habitat Week, the three-year-old Habitat chapter is leading a campus wide movement to raise $50,000 dollars for a University-sponsored Habitat house.

"We want our house to be a solely U of M house," said Eric Allenspach, an LSA senior and founding member of Habitat's campus chapter.

Habitat for Humanity is a 22-year-old national organization that provides volunteer labor for building houses for low-income families.

Beth McQueen, president of the Habitat campus chapter, said currently volunteers can work only when the local Habitat affiliate has houses for them to work on.

"With our own house, we could have University students working on it five days a week, rather than (working) at the will of the affiliate here and there." said McQueen, an LSA senior.

The Habitat House Coalition, an offshoot of the Habitat campus chapter, already raised about $14,000 in conjunction with other University organizations, Allenspach said.

"A lot of organizations are really anxious for the project to take flight." Allenspach said, adding that the Habitat Coalition already received interest from the Greek system, the Alumni Association, the Athletic Department and the administration.

"This really is a project to unify the campus community," Allenspach said.

In a report published in 1994, the Washtenaw United Way identified the need for affordable housing as the second most critical problem out of 28 in the county. Overcrowding, water damage and incomplete kitchen or bathroom facilities plague those in substandard housing.

The goal of Habitat for Humanity is to help people get out of the renting cycle, McQueen said.

"The program is meant to give a hand up, not a handout." she said.

Allenspach echoed the need to address the problem of affordable housing.

"Every person's got a right as a human being to a simple decent place to live." Allenspach said.

Other events planned for Habitat Week include building a shed on the Diag, holding a benefit concert at East Quad Residence Hall and a meal plan donation drive at certain residence halls.

JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily

Fourth-year Rackham student Noah Cavan juggles last night in East Hall with the Ann Arbor Juggling Club.

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