The Quad became home to some students this week as they inhabited hand-made wooden shacks with the goal of creating a deeper understanding of the plight of homelessness.

The Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry chapter of Habitat for Humanity hosted its eighth annual Shack-A-Thon from Sunday to Thursday. This year, 15 organizations participated by sponsoring a shack, raising more than $5,000 for Habitat for Humanity, said Cara Keogh, assistant executive director of SUNY-ESF’s Habitat for Humanity chapter.

Organizations that choose to participate receive wooden frames and tools to build a shack, representative of the substandard housing and homelessness that is experienced both in Syracuse and throughout the country, said Taylor Nanz, executive director of SU and SUNY-ESF’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

“It is like a mini version of what Habitat for Humanity does,” Colleen Downey, a senior social work policy major, said of the shack construction. “I know people who enjoyed building during Shack-A-Thon who then joined Habitat for Humanity.”

The idea is to have students take shifts staying in the shack to ensure that someone is present at all times, including an overnight shift. This year, students encountered heavy rain showers.

“It’s not comfortable,” said Nanz, a senior international relations and Spanish dual major. “There are no curtains, you feel the elements, there are bugs and loud noises. It shows people what it is like to be homeless or live in substandard housing; they shouldn’t be comfortable.”

Shack-A-Thon consists of several events spread throughout the course of the week where organizations compete to earn points and raise money. The event lineup included an inflatable obstacle course, puppies on the Quad, a penny war, flag football and concludes with a date auction on Friday from 7-8 p.m. in Gifford Auditorium.

Even those who are not directly involved with Shack-A-Thon have been showing interest. As some students walked across the Quad during the week, onlookers inquired about the purpose of the event and reflected on the issue of homelessness, a topic that is not generally discussed.

“It raises a lot of questions,” said Manny Zapata, a sophomore English and political science dual major. “People have been stopping by and saying they are interested in staying in the shack.”

While those who are involved agree that Shack-A-Thon provides an enjoyable bonding experience, they also realize that for them, the event ends. Others are not so fortunate.

“I have a lot of fun in the shack, but I definitely would not consider living in it,” said Benigno Bacolores, a senior advertising and finance dual major. “We have somewhere to go back to where we feel safe; there are people that don’t.”

While the event emphasizes the “shack” aspect of Habitat for Humanity, the core goes deeper than just lodging.

“Having shelter isn’t just about having a place to live. It leads to safety and better education,” Nanz said. “It is the basis for a growing community.”

Published on September 30, 2015 at 10:07 pm

Contact Taylor: tnwatson@syr.edu