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Exhibit rolls into Ohio State Fair and transports visitors into substandard housing
$125 million alliance offers snapshot of national problem
| COLUMBUS, OH (July 22, 2009) – Even with the prevalent headlines about the difficulties in obtaining or keeping a decent, affordable home, many of us live in relative comfort and security. 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 exists here and throughout Ohio, as well.
It can be hard to imagine what it’s like to live in substandard housing, and even harder to imagine how you can help. This year at the Ohio State Fair, there’s an opportunity to see the problem firsthand and learn how each of us can 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, State Fair visitors 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 to 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 be at the Ohio State Fair and open to the public: • Wednesday, July 29 – Sunday, August 2, 2009, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. • Near the main Cardinal entrance gate off of 17th Avenue at the Ohio Expo Center, Columbus “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 E.J. Thomas, CEO of Habitat for Humanity - Greater Columbus. “During two past State Fairs, we have built a Habitat home on the fairgrounds. This year we are helping fair visitors understand the problem from a new perspective through the Thrivent Builds Mobile.” 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 16 homes in Ohio—two in Columbus, two in Cleveland, one in Akron, five in Canton, one in Xenia, one in Toledo, one in Lima, one in Findlay and two in Cincinnati—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 Tim Compton, spokesperson for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. “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 Greater Columbus Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) and Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus (HFHGC) are ecumenical Christian housing ministries. Habitat affiliates work locally in communities around the world to select and support homeowners, organize volunteers and coordinate house building. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 300,000 homes worldwide, providing shelter for more than 1 million people in nearly 90 countries. In the Greater Columbus community, Habitat has built more than 207 homes since 1987. The Greater Columbus Affiliate, through tithing to HFHI, has also helped to build more than 230 homes in developing countries throughout the world. HFHGC is one of the only housing agencies in Franklin County targeting families who earn 30-60% of median income. HFHGC partner families are chosen after a careful review process during which Habitat assesses their need for housing; their ability to repay a zero-interest, no-profit mortgage and their willingness to partner with Habitat through sweat equity. All partner families are first-time homebuyers who earn 30-60% of the median income for Franklin County and currently live in substandard housing. Every partner family must perform a minimum of 200-250 hours of sweat equity, which includes working on their own house and those of other Habitat families, attending homeownership classes and providing Habitat program support. Every family also assumes a no-interest, no-profit mortgage with payments based on family income. Because HFHGC holds and services these mortgages, Habitat has a long-term relationship with the homeowners and the communities in which they live. Visit www.habitatcolumbus.org About Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the Ohio 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 Ohio Region is comprised of more than 100.000 members in Ohio (excluding northwestern Ohio and Cincinnati), western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia. Together with its members, Thrivent Financial’s Ohio Region provided more than $7.7 million in charitable outreach in 2008. For more information, visit www.lutheransonline.com/rfo230 and www.thrivent.com. America’s Neighbors: The Affordable Housing Crisis and the People it Affects, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Washington, DC (2004) www.nlihc.org. |
| Contact Information: | |
| Cheryl Winget Media Relations Specialist cheryl.winget@thrivent.com Phone: 612-844-5025 | |
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