Student groups and individuals make up our largest supply of construction volunteers every year. And they are not only building houses, but raising funds and advocating for affordable housing.

Just in the month of April, the student club hosted a Builders Blitz on the construction site at Weavers Grove bringing out up to 60 students to build per volunteer shift for two weekends. In the middle of that, the group hosted its annual Art for Humanity art auction, which raises thousands in funds for Orange Habitat. This month, we want to spotlight this year’s student leaders of the club, Hakeem Hopkins-Kotb and Samuel Coble.

Hakeem had known of Habitat before attending UNC, as there is a solid presence in some of the places he’s lived oversees including Ghana, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Already having that trust in Habitat’s work, he was excited to get involved locally, and joined the club at the beginning of his Junior year in August 2023, just as the first homes at Weavers Grove were under way.

Samuel has been involved with the club most of his college career, and has enjoyed seeing all of the facets of the organization from building to on site to being part of the fundraising events. He even had the chance to meet with Habitat International CEO Jonathan Reckford last spring.

They both agree that the people they work with make it the best part of being involved with Habitat. “We have grown our on-campus membership to over 500 people and have become one of the largest on-campus clubs due to the incredible people that make up our organization,” said Hakeem. “These amazing people who give up hours of their days and weekends to serve others is what keeps me coming back to Habitat.”

Thank you, Hakeem and Sam, for your time and dedication to Habitat!