Think about your home and everything it provides for you.

Warmth, a place to sleep, shelter from the weather and a place to raise a family are the most common qualities we associate with our home.

Now imagine that your home didn’t give you any of that. Imagine living in a home that was harmful to your health, left you cold and exposed to the weather, and was a place that would hurt your children and their future. It can be hard for many people to imagine because it isn’t an image we often see, but just because we don’t see it doesn’t mean it is not a problem.

Until my sophomore year at Souhegan High School, when I went to Delaware to work with Habitat for Humanity, I never understood the seriousness of the substandard housing problem. Through Habitat, I was able to see what life was like in a neighborhood not as fortunate as mine.

It was shocking to me to learn that many people live without one of the basic human needs: a proper shelter. Many people living in the neighborhood where we volunteered during my time with Habitat were forced to live in homes that did not fulfill some of the basic functions.

Substandard housing is an issue that affects different aspects of a person’s life. According to California laws, houses that do not meet building codes and/or pose safety risks to the occupants are considered substandard.

Poor housing can lead to many health problems that create a downward spiral. Living in substandard conditions can increase the risk of serious disabilities or health issues such as meningitis, asthma and coronary heart disease by 25 percent, according to Shelter, an English organization focused on housing issues.

Because of the increased risk of health issues, children who live in substandard conditions are two to three times more likely to miss school than their classmates, according to Shelter. This inability to attend school regularly hurts a child’s potential to learn. If children aren’t able to get the proper education they need to live a successful life, they could end up back in a substandard house or other poor living conditions.

This creates a cycle that is difficult to break without intervention, according to Shelter.

While education may be the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, the best way for education to work is if children are able to attend school. Living in a house that doesn’t harm children’s health will help them get the education they need to escape the cycle of poverty.

Fortunately, there are many people working to end substandard housing. Habitat for Humanity is one of the leading organizations in the effort to end substandard housing. Habitat for Humanity reports that since it was founded in 1976, it has built or repaired more than 800,000 houses internationally.

While many people know about Habitat and its work in more urban places and internationally, few realize that there are Habitat chapters in our area. In New Hampshire, there are 12 Habitat chapters, with two of them based in Nashua and Manchester.

The Habitat chapter in Nashua has helped build, refurbish and maintain homes for those who cannot afford to on their own, and other local organizations such as the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter.

Habitat was able to dramatically help families by providing opportunities for better homes. Helping partner families move into proper housing gives many people a second chance, and a chance to make life better not just for themselves, but also for their children.

Getting involved with Habitat is easier than some seem to believe, and there are different ways that one can help out. People who are 16 and older can volunteer to help build houses that go to a Habitat partner family. Those unable to volunteer can donate to the organization.

As a nonprofit, the organization relies on donations in order to build houses. If one can’t donate money, some areas have a ReStore store where people can donate appliances that the organization sells to raise money for new projects.

The Habitat chapter in Nashua has its own ReStore where people can drop off home appliances they don’t need anymore.

Decent housing is a basic human need of which many people are deprived. As a result, people live in miserable conditions that are unfit for human habitation. Often, the basic function of a shelter isn’t met, and people are left cold and wet inside their home. This creates an environment that is harmful to children’s health and education.

It is important for people to know that substandard housing is a serious issue in our community and that there are opportunities for everyone to help solve the problem. Support from Souhegan’s student trips to various Habitat chapters across the country and the many local church groups that volunteer to build houses are crucial in the effort to provide people with a decent place to live.

Furthermore, these experiences expose youths to the issue of substandard housing and show them why it is crucial to continue to provide everyone with a decent place to live.

Working with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, we can create a world where everyone has a place that they can call home.

Blake Burnley is a senior at Souhegan High School in Amherst.