Each year Student Council decides to reach out to the community and help others in need. In years past StuCo raised money all across the community for a charity or a cause. With last year’s success of raising $80,000 to go towards Klein Oak Alum Bill Dowling, Student Council set out for another big venture by building a house for a deserving family through Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit Christian organization dedicated to helping people in need obtain proper housing regardless of race or religion, trains and receives funds from more than one million volunteers and affiliates each year. At the first Varsity playoff game against the Woodlands High School, Student Council presented a check of $40,000 to Habitat for Humanity as a payment towards the $60,000 goal.

“We’re helping the community, and that’s the most important thing we strive to do. We want to support this particular organization because we think it’s giving people a fresh start and the tools to be successful. That’s something we can advocate for,” Student Council organizer, Susan Parent, said.

Each year Student Council coordinates and participates in a handful of fundraisers and volunteer activities, helping the club members experience firsthand the feeling of achievement and pride in knowing they affected the community and the people in it. Klein Oak does more than any other school in the district to help out their community.

“I joined this club because I thought it was different from other volunteering clubs; it’s more prestigious and the people involved are so passionate about our projects and events. It’s so great seeing our hard work come together to help others,” sophomore, Christina Stoner, said.

This year, the club hopes to raise $60,000 towards Habitat for Humanity funds by having the community, school, and feeder schools donate. Aside from donations, they sold t-shirts with sponsors’ names who donated at least $100 on the back of the shirt.

“Last year we raised $80,000 for Captain Bill Dowling, a firefighter who lost both legs and suffered from brain trauma in the Houston Fire Department’s worst fire. It was such an incredible feeling when we presented that check to Mrs. Dowling at the football game and she cried from happiness, it was just amazing to see how much an act of kindness can affect a whole family,” Parent said.

            The success of last year’s fundraiser gives the Student Council members hope that the community will once again get involved and donate. Habitat for Humanity’s worthy cause has already affected over four million people worldwide, with over 800,000 houses having been built or repaired in the world. Though they’ve reached millions, there are still families and people for whom they can’t afford to build homes, and Student Council hopes to eradicate the need to say no to those who need it most.

“[The idea of Habitat for Humanity] came from one of our officers, Aaron Mendenhall, who had done a similar fundraiser with his church and suggested we do it and get Klein Oak to build a house for a family in need,” Student Council officer, Connor Ivy, said.

With the involvement of the entire community and various helping hands, it shouldn’t be a goal too far out of reach.

“[Last year’s fundraiser] brought the school together for one common goal. Though Student Council was heading it, the whole school was involved and it was a combined effort. I’d like to see that happen again this year, and hopefully it will,” Parent said.