15 Aug 2006 09:07 AM

Habitat for Humanity: No. 1 Builder in Gulf

Habitat for Humanity has built 400 new homes in partnership with hurricane-affected families, making Habitat the region's largest builder in the wake of the hurricanes. Habitat expects to build 1,000 homes by mid-2007.

Habitat is concentrating its rebuilding efforts in the four states affected by the hurricanes: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Within these areas Habitat is focusing further on the areas hardest hit by the storms.

While funding a recovery program of this magnitude is extremely challenging, Habitat has recorded some 244,500 individual donations and pledges totaling nearly $123 million in cash and in-kind contributions. However, with the average cost of family sponsorship coming in at just over $75,000, even $300 million would not begin to build enough homes to meet the urgent need that exists along the Gulf Coast for the long term. Habitat's estimated total cost through construction and placement of the first 1,000 families is $127 million.

Habitat continues to seek funding from private, corporate and government sources as long as the need in the hurricane-affected areas exists.

If you have small or large amounts of spare change lying around your home and you go to the grocery store-- then you can help Habitat rebuild the Gulf. According to Coinstar there is about $10.5 billion in spare change sitting in homes across the U.S. If you don't know what Coinstar is, they are the Green Coin Collection Machines that exchange your spare change for paper bills found in 1,200 grocery stores located in almost every city. Making Change for Katrina has "hooked up" Coinstar with Habitat for Humanity so when you pour your pile or handful of change into the Coinstar machine you can select "donate" and choose Making Change for Katrina as your charity. The change you donate within the next 48 hours will be electronically funneled to Habitat for Humanity's rebuilding efforts in the Gulf.

MAKE CHANGE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE GULF!

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