One hundred local families have asked for a playhouse this Christmas. Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter is asking businesses and community groups to help fulfill more of those wishes.

Its annual Jingle Build-Off is getting underway, with teams assembling and decorating children’s playhouses that will be showcased during holiday events Dec. 4 in Wildwood and Dec. 5 in Tavares. Each sponsorship also supports Habitat’s work to build affordable housing in Lake and Sumter counties.

Amanda Spradlin, Habitat’s director of development, says this year’s response set a new record for the program. At the time of her interview, 18 playhouses were committed. Her goal is at least 25, with room for more sponsors to help more families.

For Robbie Shoemaker, owner of Flamingo Real Estate & Management and a Habitat board member, the reason to participate is something he sees regularly.

The Oxford resident passes the playhouse his team built last year and still sees children playing on it. Months after the decorations came down and the holidays ended, their gift remains part of a family’s everyday life.

His team built that house with two stories and a slide from the upper level. A previous build featured a cat theme, complete with an artist’s painted details, for a child who loved cats.

“It’s just very unique and it’s very fun,” Robbie says.

For a $2,500 donation, businesses, organizations or groups can sponsor a playhouse and assemble it with their own team. Habitat supplies the building materials, and teams add the colors, decorations and details that make each house special.

Builders receive information about their matched family, including the children’s interests, so the finished house reflects the youngsters who will use it. A favorite animal or a princess theme can become the starting point for a gift made especially for them.

Teams can build at their own locations beginning this month or take part in an on-site build in Tavares in December.

Amanda says some businesses incorporate the project into their holiday celebrations, something Robbie says is part of the appeal of participating.

“It’s also a team building for companies and businesses to build a playhouse together and know it’s going to make a child and family smile,” he says, explaining that the payoff comes when families see the finished houses.

Amanda says sponsors are invited to attend those reveals, giving the people who assembled and decorated each house a chance to see the children’s excitement firsthand. Sponsors who cannot attend still get to share in the moment.

“We film every reveal and then we can send that to the sponsors afterwards as well,” Amanda says.

The event began as a smaller effort in downtown Tavares and now includes Wildwood. Amanda says a large donation from The Villages helped Habitat provide 48 playhouses last year, requiring more space to showcase the creations.

The contributions also address a much larger need. Amanda says Habitat received about 700 homeownership applications earlier this year and expects to build 20 to 21 homes this year.

“The need for affordable housing is greater now more than ever,” she says.

Businesses that cannot assemble a house themselves can participate through a $1,500 Youth Build sponsorship, with local student volunteers doing the construction.

Amanda says teams can still sign up through the end of November. To participate, contact her at 352-630-8585 or Amanda@habitatls.org, or visit habitatls.org/jingle-build-off.