About 25 students from various campus organizations volunteered to paint DeKalb’s domestic violence shelter Saturday as part of a national hunger marathon.

“I’m just really excited about the number of people and organizations willing to come out today,” said Kathy Engelken, coordinator of the Newman Center’s Justice and Peace Ministry, said. The Newman Center coordinated the hunger marathon in DeKalb.

More than 100 volunteers through numerous campus organizations participated in the hunger marathon, with one-fourth of those painting the Safe Passage center. The marathon raised more than $1,000 through sponsor donations, Engelken said.

Engelken said the hunger marathon is a nationally-organized day for students to raise money and provide community service to fight hunger and poverty in DeKalb and across America.

More than 250 campuses across America participated in this year’s marathon.

“I think its neat to see all of these young people pull together to help,” said Cheryl Jenkins, Safe Passage volunteer coordinator.

Robin Jeanblanc, Safe Passage house manager, said the shelter needed painting because of the high volume of clients passing through during the year.

About 17 children and six women passed through the shelter on a daily basis between December and early March, Jeanblanc said.

“Soni,” a former Safe Passage client who was abused by her boyfriend, said the police took her to the shelter at 3 a.m. and the counselor on duty stayed with her all night and into the next morning.

Soni also said there is always someone to talk to at Safe Passage when she needs help.

Deanna Opsahl, Circle K International marathon leader said the volunteer painting was “making the place much nicer for people who really don’t want to be here in the first place.”

Karen Heine, a volunteer from Women In Communications, Inc., said helping paint Safe Passage “was a lot of fun and it gave me personal satisfaction in helping other people.”