Each year, Habitat AmeriCorps members and alumni from across the country gather for Build-A-Thon, a weeklong blitz build that engages the community.

Build-a-Thon is held in partnership with local Habitat organizations and their surrounding communities, helping meet their needs for safe, affordable housing while celebrating the partnership and AmeriCorps members’ service and impact.

This year, Build-A-Thon was hosted by Habitat for Humanity of Wake County in Raleigh, North Carolina. In Raleigh’s Crosstown neighborhood, participants worked on 12 homes and 22 landscaping projects.

Beaches Habitat’s 4 current AmeriCorps members, Ashlee, Chace, Keegan, & Sheika, traveled to Raleigh and joined 400 others to build for a week. Here is what they had to say about the experience:

My favorite part was just meeting so many different people. Build-A-Thon is the best thing about Habitat AmeriCorps! ~Chace

My biggest takeaway from Build-A-Thon is that every person has the ability to make an impact. Whether constructing or landscaping, it all matters. ~Sheika

My team and I started from a slab and finished with a house! ~Ashlee

This opportunity to build alongside people dedicated to service has been the highlight of my AmeriCorps year. ~Keegan