ALBANY, N.Y. -- You'll hear the sounds of saws and people drilling. And if you stopped by, you'd see dozens of workers putting up sheet rock at a South End home. Leading the way, Alphonso Gavin.

"It's a good thing when we do come together. But we should always come together. We shouldn't do it just one time," said Gavin, Construction Project Manager.

Gavin is a construction manager for Habitat for Humanity and built his own home with the help of the organization. So he knows a few things about lending a hand. And on this national day of service in conjunction with Martin Luther King Day, Gavin and volunteers gave up their Monday to make a difference.

"Generally, we don't work on Sundays and Mondays, but we had this opportunity to work with the Albany for Obama group, it was hard to say no," said construction project manager Micheline Moncur.

The Albany for Obama group providing more than a hundred workers on a day where more than 12,000 volunteer projects happened nationwide.

"I think there is a spirit of community happening. It has to do with the inauguration happening, it has to do with it is Martin Luther King Day," said Moncur.

And while the finishing touches to 52 O'Dell Street won't happen until March, organizers and volunteers here say they are not just building a house they are building a better community.

"We are fortunate enough to have homes. There's people out there that need help. We all had help in our lives," said volunteer Anthony Benyarko.

"It's just wonderful. That is what I love my job. There's not one day I can get up and say I don't want to go to work," said Gavin.

Organizers said the family of four should be in the house by spring.