“Together we’re building much more than
houses.”
Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity
is a four-year, $105-million alliance between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans®
and Habitat for Humanity® International designed to help provide a “hand up” to
people who lack decent shelter. Thrivent Financial is a faith-based membership
organization committed to helping its nearly 3 million members achieve
financial security and give back to their congregations and communities.
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit Christian housing ministry seeking to eliminate
poverty housing.
The Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity initiative includes three
programs, all designed to engage more Thrivent Financial members in caring
for others and making a significant impact in their communities.
Please see the Thrivent Builds Web site at www.thriventbuilds.com
for complete details about this initiative, including:
1.
Thrivent Builds Homes, including information
about build locations, how to volunteer, how to apply, chapters and Habitat
affiliates involved in builds, congregation resources, Thrivent Builds chapter
specialists, Thrivent Builds congregational champions.
2.
Thrivent Builds Worldwide, including
information about the two types of trips available, how to apply, funding
support available from Thrivent Financial for those participating, and tips for
being a trip leader, if interested.
3.
Thrivent Builds Neighborhoods, A newly
developed component of the Thrivent Builds Program employing a holistic
community development philosophy that targets a comprehensive approach to
neighborhood revitalization through broad quality-of-life improvements. Pilot programs are being implemented in Milwaukee and Des
Moines.
Inaugurated in
2006, our region has completed 34 houses in two years! Nationally, over 650
homes have been built. Thrivent has committed $125 million for the program that
officially runs through 2009. Of that amount, $23.2 million will be used in
2008 to build an additional 322 Habitat homes in 42 states! Additionally, the
alliance will help support more than 200 volunteer teams that will help build
homes on the Gulf
Coast and abroad.
This increased
commitment from Thrivent Financial responds to the interest and involvement of
thousands of the nearly 2.5 million Thrivent members, the successes of the
alliance since it was formed in 2005 and the understanding that this alliance
has greater potential yet to be realized.