Local
students
give
back
through
campus
charity
events
shacks are decorated to promote each of
the organizations participating but one wall
each are reserved for a social message like
‘63,000 people in shelters in NYC’ in order to
reach students who are walking by.”
As for the affordable housing crisis, the de
Blasio administration announced recently
that a record 10,099 new homes had been
financed and over 24,000 homes had been
preserved in 2018; however, the adult
population growth in the city surpasses the
increase in housing stock.
Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit
housing organization working in local
communities across all 50 states in the U.S.
and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat’s
vision is of a world where everyone has a
decent place to live. Habitat works toward our
vision by building strength, stability and selfreliance
in partnership with families in need
of decent and affordable housing. Habitat
homeowners help build their own homes
alongside volunteers and pay an affordable
mortgage. St. John’s University and its
community are known for its Vincentian
mission to help those in need.
“This year Shack-a-Thon raise more than
$2,000 and that goes straight to Habitat,”
said Bologna, a senior majoring in biology.
Meanwhile, more than 1,250 students
joined together to raise more than $169,000
for the fight against cancer at the 14th
annual St. John’s University Relay for Life.
It was a new fundraising record for the
school, which has sponsored the event
since 2006. Beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday
April 12, participants representing 76 teams,
clubs, fraternities and sororities, marched
throughout the night circling the basketball
court inside Carnesecca Arena.
The event benefited the American Cancer
Society.
By Bill Parry In an effort to raise awareness of the ongoing
affordable housing crisis and the rising number
of homeless in New York City more than 200 St.
John’s University students participated in the
fifth annual “Shack-a-Thon” last week.
The students erected a half dozen shacks
on the school’s Great Lawn during a three-day
exercise hosted by the Habitat for Humanity
Campus Chapter.
“Living on a college campus can mean living in
a bubble and people are not aware of the extent of
the crisis until they graduate and try to find a place
of their own,” SJU Habitat for Humanity Campus
Chapter President Gianna Bologna said. “The
QNS.COM
Images courtesy of Gianna Bologna SUMMER 2019 13
/QNS.COM