Habitat for Humanity is receiving a boost to its troops during the next few months from a group of five BYU-Idaho communication students.

Students enrolled in a Public Relations Campaigns class were given an assignment at the beginning of the semester to generate awareness about Habitat for Humanity, its mission and how people can help the organization.

“I think what we’re doing is excellent. We’re able to do a campaign that gives us experience but also helps people in need. We’re able to help people right here in our community. We’re able to gain experience but at the same time serve,” said Angelica Wachlin, a senior from Provo, Utah.

The group will be conducting various events in Rexburg, Idaho Falls and Pocatello throughout February and March to educate people about the charity and drum up funds for needed resources.

There are currently three families under Habitat’s Idaho Falls branch scheduled for housing projects, but they are out of luck until enough money is available to purchase land and materials.

Habitat for Humanity’s Idaho Falls’ affiliate regularly experiences a seesaw effect regarding its resources. It either has an abundance of volunteers or money — but rarely both. The current situation involves an excess of volunteers but a shortage of funds.

The goal among the BYU-I students is to create a plan to help level this out.

“We want to create awareness in the community for Habitat for Humanity. Awareness is the first step to action. During college, students may not be able to contribute much as far as monetary funding goes, but small things make big things happen. Students can help the community know of the different needs. Someday when they are in a position to provide more, hopefully our campaign will have planted seeds of how worthwhile it is to contribute to good organizations,” Wachlin said.

A couple of the events the students have planned include two benefit shows during February, one featuring local bands and the other featuring the Hysterics, a local comedy troupe.

They will also be passing out flyers, stickers and T-shirts at BYU-I, local communities and Idaho State University.

Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 and has built more than 200,000 homes across the globe, providing more than one million people with affordable, safe housing.

Habitat houses are not free. They range in cost from $800 in developing countries to an average of $59,000 in the United States. Mortgages vary in length but contain no interest charges.

New owners are also required to give “sweat equity”— hours spent building their home and others.