(October 4, 2004) — The mercury on the thermometer reaches new heights. Dust combines with sweat and is beaten down by the sun, boiling one’s forehead. It’s almost noon and relief is around the corner in the form of a make shift lunch area under a canopy. Disney “VoluntEars” can be found scattered into a melting pot of construction, along with one of the four families that are receiving a home from Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit housing organization. The Ruiz family, with father Gerardo, mother Maria and daughter Daisy can be seen lifting concrete blocks or cleaning up trenches around the perimeter. This isn’t the normal way for an entire family to spend a Saturday morning. But if it will assist them in getting a brand new house in Glendale for lower than normal cost, they will do it. Habitat for Humanity is creating two new housing projects in Glendale for low-income families. The current project is located at 401 S. Pacific Ave. and the upcoming project will be developed on 900-910 E. Palmer Ave. Construction manager Gary Schelvan of the Pacific Avenue project has been working for Habitat for Humanity since May of this year. According to Schelvan, the Pacific Avenue project will be completed at about this time next year. But progress is being made since one out of four foundations have already been poured and the next foundation will be poured in the next week. “Digging the trenches was probably the best part,” said junior Edison Escobar. “Some parts of the ground is freakin’ hard and some parts are soft. You eventually get used to it.” Habitat for Humanity is an international nonprofit housing organization begun in 1976. According to habitat.org, they have created approximately 175,000 houses worldwide and are stationed in more than 100 countries. Habitat uses volunteers from the community and elsewhere to lower the cost of the house. Depending on the area, there are different ways of paying off the houses. Locally, part of the payment is paid with sweat equity, where each family has to give at least 500 hours of man-hours into the creation of the new home. One has to be at least 18 years old to physically work on the building site and anyone under 18 has to donate their time in the Habitat for Humanity store in Pasadena. The project on Palmer Avenue will begin in the summer of 2005. And, according to Schelvan, after the completion of the condos on Palmer Avenue there will be an 11-unit project also here in Glendale.