Habitat for Humanity, a grassroots organization that builds homes for low-income families, held a successful Build-A-Thon Saturday in Leeward Oahu that brought together more than 150 volunteers at three different work sites.

Leading the effort to build a new home for the Johnson-Hoohuli family at the corner of McArthur and Impono Streets in Waianae was 86 year old retired architect Art Hansen.

During his long career Hansen designed ten high rises in Waikiki including the Prince Kuhio Hotel. He says building homes for low-income families is much more satisfying.

“The real point of all of this is the children,” says Hansen, who has been volunteering for Habitat for Humanity since 1989.

During that time Hansen has seen how a new home can change the life of a child.

“This kid I was talking to him the other day and he's seven years old and he's never lived in a house,” he said. “It's the children that we're helping.”

April Hoohuli calls Hansen “the bomb” and says when her childhood home is rebuilt all ten of her family members - six adults, three young boys and one yet to be born baby girl will all live under one roof.

The family’s original home was so dilapidated it had to be demolished.

"We we're in the process of selling the property already because we couldn't afford to build,” says Hoohuli. “When Habitat said oh you folks qualify, we said quick go take down that sign."

Habitat for Humanity hopes to build 50 affordable homes for low income families in Leeward Oahu over the next five years. It’s a reachable goal thanks to the ingenious design by Hansen that uses 17 prefabricated panels.

"With those seventeen different panels,” says Hansen “we can build a two bedroom, three bedroom, four bedroom, five, six, seven or eight bedroom."

The Johnson-Hoohuli family is getting a home with seven bedrooms and two baths. During the Build-A-Thon two shifts of volunteers worked to erect 38 walls.

"When it's done than everybody's going to come back home,” says Hoohuli. Right now the extended family is scattered over three different locations.

Hoohuli says she’s looking forward to the day when the entire family can eat dinner together.

“Thank God we got picked for Habitat,” she said smiling.

It’s a blessing says Hansen, especially for the youngest members of the family who see their new home for the first time.

“When you see that,” he says, “that's your reward.”

Habitat for Humanity has seven affiliate chapters in Hawaii.

To qualify families must earn 50% or less of the median income of the area they live in and be willing to put in 500 hours of work, what the organization calls “sweat equity.”

Learn more about Habitat for Humanity