NEW COLUMBIA — A first-ever unified effort by two Valley universities enabled a local charity to build a home for a deserving family quicker than it ever has before.

After seven months and 1,900 hours of free construction help from 141 volunteers — including about two dozen students from Bucknell and Susquehanna Universities — local officials and volunteers from Union-Snyder Habitat for Humanity gathered around the organization’s 17th finished home on Saturday and celebrated its dedication with the new owners, Virginia and Alberto “Tito” Lopez and their children, Angela, 4, and Nathaniel, 1.

The family, formerly renting a small apartment in Lewisburg, will begin moving into the 1,000-square-foot, three-bedroom, ranch-style home this week.

As their family grew, the Lopezes knew they had to find something bigger and more functional. Their first and last stop, according to Alberto, was Habitat for Humanity. “We didn’t have to look any further.”

They were accepted from among approximately 40 applicants.

“It was so heart-warming to see people give their time,” Alberto said. “It was great. We are very happy.”

The home is the first Habitat house that Bucknell and Susquehanna universities worked together to help build in the local program that began in 1996. Volunteers from each chapter combined to raise $20,000 of the approximate $80,000 cost of the house, shared ideas and helped in the application process to find the right family.

Together, they may be able to help the organization build a house every two years, as opposed to every four years, which they were offering prior to this particular effort, according to Eric Lassahn, a Habitat board member and campus liaison for the universities.

“The goal is to build as many houses as quickly as possible,” Lassahn said. With the universities now pledging to work together, he added, “There won’t be less houses, that’s for sure.”

Cherie King, president of the Union-Snyder Habitat board, through some tears, expressed thanks to all the volunteers at Saturday morning’s dedication.

“They’ve helped perfect strangers achieve the American Dream of home ownership.”

According to King, families are chosen based on their need, their ability to pay the no-interest mortgage, and their ability to commit to 250 sweat equity hours on their own house and 25 hours on a future Habitat house.

Anyone wishing to volunteer with the Union-Snyder Habitat for Humanity may contact Sandy Hopkins, development coordinator, at 490-9158.

Habitat for Humanity International, since its founding in 1976, has constructed more than 300,000 homes.