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Children Build Playhouses for Habitat Auction

Youth from Gary-area clubs and organizations built wooden playhouses with Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana at the Tolleston Opportunity Campus.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Philanthropy

Two finished wooden playhouses with blue and white painted panels sit on bare earth in a flat lot beside stacked lumber, under overcast daylight.
Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana and Gary-area youth groups built wooden playhouses at the Tolleston Opportunity Campus, with most going to Lake County churches and one to auction. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana and children from local youth organizations built wooden playhouses at the Tolleston Opportunity Campus. Most playhouses will be donated to churches across Lake County, and one will be auctioned at the House Builders Association fall award ceremony.

Why it matters

The project marks the first time Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana partnered with the Boys & Girls Club to have volunteers under 16 craft playhouses. Auction proceeds will support Habitat for Humanity in Lake and Porter counties.

Each playhouse costs roughly $800 in materials, and Schillings donated half of the materials to Habitat. The playhouse auction starts at a $500 bid, but the final sale price has not been reported.

The players

Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana

A local affiliate of the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity that builds and repairs homes with volunteer labor and donations in the region.

Boys & Girls Club

A youth development organization offering after-school and summer programs to children in communities including Gary.

Crossroads YMCA

A YMCA branch in Northwest Indiana providing youth programs, fitness facilities and community services.

The details

Adult volunteers from Habitat and Crossroads YMCA cut plywood to size before children from the Boys & Girls Club in Gary, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, and Crossroads YMCA assembled the structures with nail guns and drills. The children then painted the playhouses blue and white, and two will remain at Tolleston Park.

Timeline

  1. Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026: Children painted playhouses at the Tolleston Opportunity Campus.

  2. Days before Thursday: Volunteers cut plywood and children built the playhouse structures.

  3. Next year, June or July: Organizations hope to hold a similar event again.

Philanthropy Context

The project extends Habitat for Humanity's volunteer-built housing model to participants under 16, building youth involvement into the organization's construction work. Its donated-materials structure, with Schillings covering half of costs, reflects the partnership approach common among local nonprofits.

Two playhouses will stay at Tolleston Park for local children to use. Most others will go to churches across Lake County, and one will be auctioned with proceeds split between Habitat chapters in Lake and Porter counties.

The takeaway

Community projects that bring young volunteers into construction work can build skills while supporting local housing and facilities. Local residents interested in similar efforts can contact area nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity to ask about volunteer opportunities.

What happens next

Organizations hope to hold a similar event next year in June or July.

Further reading

Explore more Gary philanthropy coverage for context on local nonprofit partnerships.

Live Poll

Would you volunteer your time with a local charity like Habitat for Humanity?