by Debbie Conrad, Hansen School

The 5th graders at the Hansen Elementary School in Stoughton presented South Shore Habitat for Humanity with an oversized $715 check Friday afternoon.

Habitat for Humanity is trying to raise enough money to begin building its first of three homes in Stoughton.

For the second year in a row, the Hansen School kids did their part.

Each year, 5th graders at the Hansen School participate in the heart project fundraiser, where students make and decorate paper hearts from construction paper. The finished products are sold within the school for 50 cents apiece prior to Valentine's Day. The funds raised are then donated to a particular cause and for the last two years, that cause has been Habitat for Humanity.

Pat Galvin, Chairwoman of the local Habitat for Humanity partnership committee, said she would take the school's check to all their coming events.

"Everybody is going to know that the kids at the Hansen School donated $715 to the Stoughton Habitat for Humanity build," she said.

Between this year and last year's fundraiser, the school has given Habitat more than $1,400 toward its fundraising goal.

To begin construction on its first home, Habitat must raise $70,000. It has raised more than $60,000 so far. The total cost of the homes will be about $135,000 each, Galvin said.

The South Shore Habitat for Humanity is an independent, non-profit organization that works to provide families of low-income with homes, entirely through its own fundraising, volunteer recruitment and publicity. Since the South Shore Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1986, they have completed 45 homes in 18 communities.