Habitat for Humanity Logo

Grant County, Wisconsin  

News

Habitat for Humanity of Grant County joins worldwide celebration of 500,000th/500,001st milestone houses as part of World Habitat Day events on Oct. 3

Habitat for Humanity will mark a major milestone Oct. 3 when it dedicates its 500,000th house in Maai Mahiu, Kenya, and begins construction on its 500,001st house in Paterson, N.J. Volunteers and homeowners from Habitat for Humanity of Grant County will join in celebrating the milestones as part of events being held worldwide to mark World Habitat Day.

Habitat for Humanity of Grant County(HFHGC) is among the more than 2,300 Habitat affiliates worldwide that have made this milestone possible, having built 8 houses since its founding in 2001. Additionally, HFHGC is responsible for building 10 homes in Malawi, South Africa through Habitat for Humanity’s Tithe Program.

The milestone houses represent the steady increase in Habitat for Humanity’s scale and scope to help more families in need of decent, affordable housing. In 2005, Habitat celebrated its 200,000th house. Six years later, Habitat for Humanity has more than doubled that number through new, rehabilitated, repaired and improved homes.

“It is a testament to the power of what God can do when people come together to build homes, communities and hope,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “I am so grateful to all of the volunteers, donors and advocates who share our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”

In Kenya, Habitat for Humanity will complete the 500,000th house on Oct. 3 in partnership with families who were displaced after post-election violence erupted in the country in late 2007.  That same day, volunteers will raise the walls on Habitat’s 500,001st house in Paterson, N.J. The house will be built in one of the inner-city neighborhoods where Paterson Habitat for Humanity has been continuously building since 1984.

Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide organization that operates in nearly 80 countries, including all 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Thanks to Habitat for Humanity’s help, a family somewhere in the world improves its housing situation every 7 minutes of every hour of every day of the year. In 2010, Habitat for Humanity served a record 74,960 families in need.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope.  Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families without regard to religion, race, gender or nationality by constructing, rehabilitating or repairing homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to financing to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat’s blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.

 

Habitat for Humanity of Grant County celebrates its contribution to reaching 2,000-home milestone of $125 million alliance

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans also announces a new commitment to affordable housing in 2010

December 15, 2009
Habitat for Humanity of Grant County(HFHGC) was part of an international milestone celebrated Dec. 4, 2009, in Minneapolis. A unique alliance between Habitat for Humanity International and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, called Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity, has resulted in 2,000 homes for families in just four years. HFHGC built 2 homes as part of that effort.

At the December 4th event, Thrivent Financial announced a 2010 commitment of $15 million to Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity and its homebuilding program, continuing its support of Habitat’s mission for a fifth year. This funding will make the construction of 181 additional homes in 37 states possible. Habitat for Humanity of Grant County has received word that it has been awarded $64,090 for the construction of 1 Thrivent Builds home in the coming year.

“The Thrivent Builds alliance has helped Grant County Habitat increase the number of families served in our community,” said April Baker, Director. “We are so grateful for Thrivent’s support of our efforts to provide decent, affordable homes in partnership with families in need.”

While Thrivent Financial provided at least 65 percent of the funding for each of the 2,000 homes, local volunteers—many of them Thrivent members and members of area Lutheran congregations—assisted with construction and helped raise additional funds.

The four-year Thrivent Builds alliance was announced in September, 2005 and has helped construct approximately six percent of Habitat homes built in the United States from 2006 through 2009. Ongoing in 2010, the Thrivent Builds partnership continues to ensure Thrivent Financial as one of the largest non-government supporters of Habitat for Humanity International.

Because of Thrivent Financial’s support, we are now accepting applications for partner families for the 2010 Build. A Family Selection Workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, January 14, 2010, 7PM at 1st English Lutheran Church, 215 W Pine Street, Platteville, WI. Members of the Family Selection Committee will be on hand to answers your questions about becoming a partner family with Habitat for Humanity.

Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity is a four-year $125 million alliance between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity International. The alliance makes Thrivent Financial one of Habitat’s largest allies and aims to increase Habitat’s annual house production by hundreds of homes per year. To date, 2,000 homes have been built in the United States and more than 30 other countries. For more information, visit www.thriventbuilds.com.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a not-for-profit, Fortune 500 financial services membership organization helping approximately 2.6 million members achieve financial security and give back to their communities. Thrivent Financial and its affiliates offer a broad range of financial products and services including life insurance, annuities, mutual funds, disability income insurance, bank products and more. As a not-for-profit organization, Thrivent Financial creates and supports national outreach programs and activities that help congregations, schools, charitable organizations and individuals in need. For more information, visit www.thrivent.com.

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.