Each Saturday at 8 a.m., a couple dozen Duhawks meet in front of Beckman Hall. From there, they go to a house-construction site to lend a hand.

They are volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help build houses for lower-income but hardworking Americans who otherwise could not even dream of owning a home.

Habitat for Humanity is an international organization, but there are many community-based chapters, including one in Dubuque and another at Loras.

“It is such a great feeling being able to give back to the Dubuque community,” said senior Brittany Arnt, public relations chair for the college chapter. “It’s a lot of fun working with the members of the Dubuque chapter on a build. They are all very friendly, and you can tell that they appreciate you being there.”

Families who are yearning for an affordable house that Habitat for Humanity can provide must go through an extensive interview and application process to become eligible. One of the key criteria is giving back to the program by providing 250 hours of their time and energy to build someone else’s house.

“They must donate their time and energy to show they are committed to the idea of helping others,” said Susan Stone, associate professor of English who also is the faculty adviser for the college’s chapter. “They need to be invested in wanting to help themselves by partnering with the organization. Two-hundred-and-fifty hours is the equivalent to being out there working every Saturday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. for a year.

“You don’t have to know much about construction to help — you learn as you go, and being there contributing your time to help someone else in need is what counts,” Stone continued.

The program helps keep the cost of a new home down because there are no labor charges. Habitat also pays for the land to further ensure affordable housing. Counseling and education are among the other services that the organization can provide.

“Sometimes a single parent will be working two jobs on top of raising children and not have a college education,” Stone said. “The services Habitat offers will make it possible for them to return to school and get their degree.”

Senior Sarah Cunningham, who is the fundraising chair for the Loras chapter, said her volunteer efforts for Habitat for Humanity have been gratifying.

 “We are helping to give people something extremely vital to their existence — a home,” she said. “At least for me, I just enjoy knowing that I have been helpful – even if all I did was edging the paint for all the bedrooms.

“Even when we are all covered in paint and have accidentally hit our fingers with hammers, you will always hear us laughing,” Cunningham added. “The camaraderie we have is truly amazing.”