Fundraising for Families
One week each spring, a neighborhood of shacks crops up in Rudder Plaza as part of the annual Shack-a-Thon, an Aggie Habitat for Humanity fundraiser. Spaces are auctioned off to various student organizations, whose members spend hours constructing shacks from donated materials.
Throughout the week, the shacks are occupied by students 24/7 to raise poverty housing awareness among Aggies. In addition to experiencing a mock week in poverty, students also learn about the affordable housing crisis through speakers and are entertained by student groups like the Aggie Wranglers and the A&M Fencing Club.
Proceeds from the auction annually support the construction of a home for a family in the Bryan-College Station area that currently has inadequate housing. “Providing an interest-free, low-cost home is life-changing for these families,” said Lauren Boehm ’17, co-president of Aggie Habitat. “Parents can pay their mortgage and own a home for the first time. Children growing up in stable environments are more likely to graduate from high school and participate in their community.”
Aggie Habitat fundraises $55,000 each year to sponsor a family’s home through events like Shack-a-Thon, which drew more than 200 participants in 2018.