VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) — Habitat for Humanity is helping fill the need for homes right in Valdosta.
"The need is huge," Michael Bourgoin Executive Director for Valdosta Habitat for Humanity said.
Thousands of families are in need of housing in South Georgia.
A need that's getting the attention of students at Valdosta State University.
VSU women's soccer team is one of those groups that's working to help.
Rallying together to help with a Habitat for humanity build on Friday with 14 team members.
Together they laid the foundation of a home following the steps of other teams within the athletic department.
"Football went the week before and volleyball went the week after. There was probably close to 100. Every team contributed," Stephen Andrew VSU Head Women's Soccer Coach said.
An experience Head coach Stephen Andrew says is one that his team really enjoyed.
"It was cool to see when we left what we had done and actually accomplished something," Andrew said.
While this program provides amazing opportunities, it requires a commitment for families to be involved.
To participate in this program families must have a need for improvement in housing, income, and most importantly volunteer 120 hours to select the property and 350-500 hours to take ownership of the home.
You have to take classes on home ownership, finance, and a number of other areas revolving around homeownership and prepping a family for owning a home so that they're successful. That's the biggest thing for us," Michael Bourgoin Executive Director for Valdosta Habitat for Humanity said.
He says there is currently a waiting list of more than 200 people in the Valdosta area but with the help of more volunteers like VSU students more homes can be built in no time.
"They could not be a finer group of people. I mean that from the bottom of my heart," Bourgoin said.
An experience that's meeting a need while giving athletes like Bailey Hern an opportunity to give back to their community.
"I think we felt really good about it. I feel accomplished, I felt like I had helped. It was something new that I had never done before. It was a good learning experience," Bailey Hern a senior on the Valdosta State women's soccer team said.
