It is often said that the home is where the heart is. For many, the idea of having a comfortable place to live is something to be taken for granted.

But for other people out there, these luxuries are often far from reality.

There are people even within a few miles of the University Park campus who don't know what it is like to look forward to returning to a comfortable home -- the families of six living in trailer homes and the working person who can't afford a monthly rent.

But there is a group that is trying to help these people who have been run down by the real world. It is called Habitat for Humanity, and it has an affiliate in Centre County.

Dennis Hameister, president of Tri-County Habitat for Humanity, said Habitat was started in 1976 in Georgia as a project to build houses with volunteer workers for people who could not afford a mortgage.

With the backing of former President Jimmy Carter and the national exposure given to it in an episode of "Home Improvement," Habitat has received quite a bit of attention.

"It's gone from its meager beginnings in the 1970s to in 1994 what will be its 30,000 th house," Hameister said.

Tri-County Habitat, which used to include Centre, Clearfield and Clinton counties, was established in the mid-1980s and was the first affiliate in Pennsylvania, Hameister said, adding that Clearfield County now has its own affiliate.

Hameister said Habitat's objective is to build "good, decent low-income housing" for people who have jobs but do not have the funds to pay for their own home.

"The concept of Habitat is that you don't charge your fellow man interest," Hameister said, adding that with no-interest mortgages the money is rolled over for the future building of more Habitat homes.

Hameister said the 14 houses that Tri-County Habitat has built in State College, Bellefonte, Sandy Ridge, Philipsburg, Beach Creek and Lock Haven have been done with a lot of donated materials and almost all volunteer work.

The group is currently nearing completion of a house in Bellefonte, Hameister said, adding that the next house will be in Port Matilda for a family with four children that is now living in a trailer.

Although Habitat receives a lot of help from various volunteer organizations, especially churches and other religious groups, perhaps the most unique thing about it is that the family for whom the house is being built works right alongside the volunteers.

Glen Blume, vice president of Tri-County Habitat, who is also a University professor of education, said he likes being a part of Habitat because of the opportunity to work with the people he is helping.

"I guess the biggest benefit I see is the whole idea of partnership," Blume said. "With Habitat it's a matter of people working with each other."

One of Blume's most remarkable memories is of a man for whom a house was being built who worked more hours than any of the volunteers.

Blume said he was the last volunteer on the building site, and as he was getting ready to leave, he asked the man how long he planned on staying. The man said he would eat a quick dinner and then come back to work until 11 p.m.

For Habitat families, the experience of having so many volunteers come to their aid can be overwhelming.

A woman whose family is now living in a Habitat home wrote in Tri-County Habitat's Spring 1994 newsletter, "I must confess how I used to go home after a day's work on the new house and cry to know so many people can give so much and not expect a thing in return except, 'Thank you.' "

This idea of partnership has attracted a University service and education organization to be a campus affiliate for Habitat.

Dan Bravin, former executive director of Collegians Helping Aid Rescue Missions (CHARM), said he ran into Habitat through CHARM and he enjoys the fact that volunteers can help address the problem of a shortage of low-income housing in this country.

"I like that grass-roots kind of feel," said Bravin (senior-human development and family studies).

Craig Mc Sparran, CHARM coordinator for Habitat for Humanity, said CHARM tries to get students together with different Habitat affiliates, adding that last year they sponsored a spring break trip to work on building a home.

Mc Sparran (sophomore-secondary education) said he thinks Habitat is an important cause.

"My fundamental motivation is all people have a fundamental right to housing," he said. "We've conquered everything from liquid soap to automatic dishwashers, we should at least be able to give everybody affordable housing."

There have been a number of students who have participated in CHARM's work with Habitat.

"I've been overwhelmed by how willing students have been to help," McSparran said, adding that there is a great opportunity for more people to get involved with Tri-County Habitat's upcoming fund-raising event -- House Walk 94.

Hameister said House Walk 94, which will be held on April 10, is a five-mile walk where walkers take pledges for Habitat, adding that it is expected to raise about $15,000.

Taking a little time out of a busy schedule for a good cause is something that Blume said he greatly enjoys.

"It sort of struck me that someone as important as Jimmy Carter could devote a whole week of his time, I could devote a couple of weekends," he said.