Habitat partners with Church World Service for Gulf rebuilding

In a “groundbreaking” partnership, Habitat for Humanity International will donate more than $3 million to Church World Service (CWS) Emergency Response Program the next two years to help repair 500 homes of low-income families affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast area. 

Habitat’s “Operation Home Delivery” is a project initiated by CWS denominations and local long-term recovery committees over a two-year period.  The collaboration combines CWS’s 60 years of experience in disaster relief and community organizing and Habitat’s expertise in building affordable housing. 

“For 30 years, Habitat has built simple, decent housing in the United States and around the world,” said Ken Meinert of Operation Home Delivery.  “This partnership furthers our grassroots partnerships with local congregations and addresses needs in the Gulf Coast.”

Selection of low-income families for the program will be consistent with Habitat’s criteria for homeowners. 

“This collaboration will have a major impact at the community level,” said CWS executive John McCullough.  “In the past eight months, we have helped people, schools and churches with recovery.  We will continue to accompany them on the journey back to normality for as long as it takes.”  

Church World Service is a relief, development and refugee-assistance agency supported by 35 U.S. Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations.  Its disaster response helps communities form interfaith nonprofits to fill unmet disaster-related, long-term recovery needs of vulnerable populations.

Habitat’s Operation Home Delivery, developed in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and working through local Habitat affiliates, plans more than 1,000 new homes by mid-2007. 

For information, visit www.churchworldservice.org and www.habitat.org.

Habitat and Thrivent combine efforts in building homes

Habitat for Humanity-Spokane and the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Spokane Region began apartnership in 2006 to build three homes in Spokane as part of a national effort to build more than 312 homes for low-income families in 200 communities in 42 states.

A $235,000 Thrivent grant will be generated locally to build a triplex at 5645-5649 E. Union Ave.—with $165,000 from Thrivent, $47,160 from Habitat-Spokane and $23,580 from area Lutheran congregations, Thrivent chapters and members. 

Local volunteers will do the work.

The four-year alliance makes Thrivent Financial Habitat’s largest ally in eliminating substandard housing and rebuilding communities.

Thrivent will invest $105 million to increase annual building by 500 U.S. homes—adding to more than 5,000 homes Habitat affiliates build annually—and more around the world.

Thrivent Builds will take volunteers around the world to build up to 200 homes overseas per year. 

For information, call 534-2552.

 

 

By Mary Stamp, The Fig Tree - © June 2006