Members of Habitat for Humanity and 10 other campus organizations are spending 54 hours underneath shacks built outside Gregory Gymnasium to portray the living standards of people living in poverty.
Students wandering past the "Shack-a-thon" event, which began Tuesday, can donate money to vote for their favorite shack.
The organization with the most money at the end of the event will receive those proceeds, while the losing organizations will donate their funds to help Habitat for Humanity build a house, said business and Spanish junior Riley Hester, co-chair of the event, adding that he believes the event will raise about $200.
The University requires participants to stay awake while in front of the Gym, so Habitat only asks that they give whatever time they can to manning the shacks.
"During the 54 hours, we're supposed to be living here, but it's kind of hard to live when you can't sleep," Hester said.
He also said a common misconception about Habitat is that the organization builds for the homeless.
"We build houses for people who live in substandard living conditions," Hester said. "Habitat builds houses for these families in order to give them a better living environment.
"Sometimes we add additions to their houses," he continued. "We do deconstructions, so we'll go to a house that needs to be taken down and salvage anything that can be used in order to build a new house."
Accounting sophomore Jaime Rodriguez is participating this year with a volunteer organization called Project Opportunity.
"This year, we're pushing for the most hours, the most creative, things like that," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez spent 20 to 25 hours participating with the University Democrats' shack last year.
"After about the 20th hour, you get kind of disillusioned because you're out here so much," Rodriguez said. "But it's worth it."
Organization members do homework at night, so insufficient light can cause problems.
"The lights here at Gregory are only so bright, and a lot of people try to crowd around wherever the majority of the light is," Rodriguez said. "Some people in the shacks last year brought lamps and extension cords, but a lot of times we just use the light that we're given and sometimes the light of the computer."
Participating organizations include the Asian American Campus Ministry, Freshman Business Association, Honors Business Association, Texas Latin Dance, Undergraduate Business Council, Tech Connects, Asian Business Students Association and Management Information Systems Association.
Each participating organization paid an entrance fee for the shacks' lumber, which Habitat delivered Tuesday morning.
The Gigglepants Improv Comedy Troupe performed Tuesday night outside the Gymnasium, and the a cappella group Ransom Notes will entertain Shack-a-thon participants Wednesday night. Texas Latin Dance will also perform during the event.
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