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Sioux Falls jazz fans will learn about more than music at Jazzfest this weekend
Thrivent Builds alliance offers lesson about substandard housing
| MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (July 17, 2009) – Many of us live in relative comfort and security, even with the prevalent headlines about the difficulties in obtaining or keeping a decent, affordable home. We don’t worry about mildew, unsafe electrical connections, rotting floors or shivering through a winter without heat. But for the more than 95 million people in the United States who are impacted by housing problems – including poor quality shelter, overcrowding, homelessness and disproportionately high costs for shelter – these concerns aren’t just worries, they’re realities. And evidence of those realities exist in South Dakota.
It can be hard to imagine what it’s like to live in poverty, and even harder to imagine how you can help. This year at the Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues Festival, there’s an opportunity to do more than listen to inspiring music—music fans can see substandard housing problems firsthand and learn how to be part of the solution. The 67-foot Thrivent Builds Mobile is part of a $125 million alliance between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity International called “Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity.” During a free, nine-minute tour through this multimedia exhibit on wheels, jazz aficionados will connect with the sights, sounds and feel of substandard housing. Outside the exhibit, visitors will enjoy competitive games, kids’ activities, volunteer information, and a free gift. The exhibit, traveling through nine states this year, is designed to rally thousands of individuals and organizations to advocate, donate, and participate in Habitat’s effort to build decent, affordable housing. The Mobile will offer free tours at the Jazz and Blues Festival: • Friday, July 17, 5:00pm – 8:00pm, and Saturday, July 20, noon – 8:00pm • Yankton Trail Park, off I-220 in southern Sioux Falls. The exhibit will be located along the path between the main stage and 2nd stage. “Substandard housing is a global problem, but it’s also a problem that touches the lives of people right here in our own community,” said Sue Olsen, Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls. “Unfortunately, until a person has seen and experienced this need, it often remains a problem that is hidden from view.” Thrivent Financial is one of Habitat’s largest allies. Thanks to its 2.6 million members who own financial products with the organization, Thrivent Financial is able to contribute to the improvement of communities across the nation. More than 1,000 Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity homes have been built in the U.S. to date. This year, over 300 homes, including seven in South Dakota, are being built in the U.S. and hundreds more will be constructed by volunteer teams in other countries. “Being able to help provide a family with a home means so much to Thrivent members,” states Ralph Yernberg, Manager of Lutheran Engagement for the Rocky Mountain Region. “Volunteering is an important aspect of our membership. This exhibit tells the Thrivent Builds story and asks others in the community to join us as we help some of our most vulnerable families take an important step toward financial security through affordable homeownership.” For information, visit www.thriventbuilds.com. About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls is a nonprofit Christian housing ministry dedicated to building decent, affordable housing in partnership with those in need in the greater Sioux Falls area. For more information, visit http://www.siouxfallshabitat.org and www.habitat.org. About Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the Rocky Mountain Region of Thrivent Financial Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a not-for-profit Fortune 500 financial services organization helping approximately 2.6 million members achieve their financial goals and give back to their communities. Thrivent Financial is a faith-based membership organization called to improve the quality of life of its members, their families and communities by providing solutions that focus on financial security, wellness and caring for others. Locally, the Rocky Mountain Region is comprised of more than 165,000 members in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Western Nebraska and Western Iowa. Together with its members, Thrivent Financial’s Rocky Mountain Region provided more than $17.4 million in charitable outreach in 2008. For more information, visit www.lutheransonline.com/rfo496 and www.thrivent.com. |
Related Links
Downloadable photos of the Thrivent Builds Mobile
| Contact Information: | |
| Kelsey Midthun Media Relations Specialist kelsey.midthun@thrivent.com Phone: 612-844-5825 | |
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