By Ashley Antonini

NORMAL – Several local coffee shops are supporting a campus organization’s efforts to build a house for a family in need.

The Coffee Hound, Coffee House Deli, Starbucks at the Hyatt, and Fusion Brew featured tip jars in their businesses as a part of “Big Tip Tuesday.”

All of the proceeds from the fundraiser will go to Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan University’s joint Habitat for Humanity Chapter.

Community members donated their spare change and extra bills to help the organization carry out their annual house build for a family in need in the Bloomington-Normal community. This is a year-long process that organization members start at the beginning of the school year and complete by April.

Organization member Zoe McGrath said this tradition is mutually beneficial.

“Not only is it [Big Tip Tuesday] helping out our organization, but we are helping out local businesses as well,” McGrath said. “They’re helping us and we are helping them. It is a good community relationship.”

Manager of the Coffee Hound Kyle Scaturro says that “Big Tip Tuesday” is a simple way for his coffee shop to have a positive impact in the community.

“It is an easy thing to be a part of and it just goes right back into our community,” Scaturro said. “It is nice to see the money go straight back into places around you.”

Illinois State University student Hana Koppel was among the various donors participating in “Big Tip Tuesday.” She believes that it is easy to donate, especially if you put yourself in someone else’s shoes.

“Five dollars to me is a lot less than five dollars to someone else, especially in an organization that is going to be going to be doing all of these really great things. Donating is as simple as it is important,” said Koppel.

Habitat for Humanity will also a host 5K fundraiser on Apr. 29.

Ashley Antonini can be reached at ashley.antonini@cumulus.com.