CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Falling leaves are an opportunity for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville volunteers to do some service for not just homeowners, but for the organization itself.

This coming Saturday, November 15 is the local Habitat’s 12th Annual Rake-a-Thon. Organized in partnership with the Habitat for Humanity Club of the University of Virginia (HUVA), Rake-a-Thon pairs volunteers with Charlottesville neighbors who donate to Habitat in exchange for having their lawns raked.

“We are to date expecting over 500 volunteers to participate, and we have registered over 100 lawns to send those volunteers to,” Charlottesville Habitat’s Director of Resource Development Natalie Burgwin told Cville Right Now.

This year, the organization’s goal is to raise $40,000, with Burgwin saying building costs are not going down anytime soon. As such, she said the Rack-a-thon is an important event for not only raising funds, but for raising “friends in our community.” Burgwin said people working on a project together actually finds friends, and it’s a particularly good way for UVA students to connect with the Charlottesville community.

“It’s a really great opportunity to get people together who may not otherwise’ she said, “to rally around everything we all care about which is to keep Charlottesville affordable.”

State Farm has kicked off the event this year awarding the Charlottesville Habitat affiliate $10,000 Youth Matching Grant. This funding is part of a $2.6 million donation to Habitat for Humanity International from State Farm to support the organization’s youth initiatives as well as creating resilient-focused housing solutions in communities across the U.S.

Since the partnership began in 1994, State Farm has contributed more than $19 million to support the organization’s programs. The company has also provided $12 million to more than 450 local Habitat affiliates to further their mission of building homes, communities and hope.

In the past several years, the local Habitat affiliate has played an even larger roll toward affordable housing in the area with the purchase of Southwood, and the subsequent national model for redevelopment that has included neighborhood residents in the design of their new neighborhood.

The plan includes mostly affordable residences, some for-profit residences, and some commercial spaces for small business owners in the neighborhood to use.

The organization has also worked with Piedmont Housing and the City of Charlottesville to purchase the Carlton Mobile Home Park, which had been put up for sale. Residents approached the Charlottesville affiliate and the city to find out what they could do toward purchasing the property and preserving an affordable housing neighborhood there.

Burgwin said it was a matter of the Habitat board coming up with creative ways to meet the great affordable need in our community.