Habitat for Humanity Blitz Build

Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps National and VISTA members to participate in weeklong blitz build.

Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area AmeriCorps National and VISTA members will travel to Franklin, W.V., to participate in Habitat for Humanity International’s annual AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon. This year’s build will engage more than 440 AmeriCorps National and VISTA members during the month of May through seven regional events scheduled during or around National AmeriCorps Week (May 14-21). The event will highlight local community needs for affordable housing and the members’ service with Habitat.

Representing Harrisburg at the build will be AmeriCorps/Vista participants Rebekah Allingham, Sherwood Abbott, and Siobhan Ryan.

“As we recognize our 25th year in the community, these three community-minded people have done so much for us to continue our fight against poverty housing,” said Mark Mattern, Director of Development for the local Habitat affiliate. “AmeriCorps members make a difference everyday here in Harrisburg, and I know their work on this trip will have a lasting impact there as well.”

The Build-a-Thon will focus on Habitat’s Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, a national Habitat for Humanity program that got its beginning with some help from Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg Area. After studying Harrisburg’s policies created for its home repair program, a similar program was put in place to encourage other Habitat affiliates to address the quality of life in neighborhoods through local community-planning partnerships and by expanding housing services available.

Work at the Build-a-Thon locations may include new house construction, rehabilitation of vacant properties (including foreclosed properties), house repairs for existing low-income homeowners and weatherization to make houses more energy-efficient and affordable.

Habitat International has partnered with the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that funds and oversees AmeriCorps programs, since 1994. Since then, more than 5,000 AmeriCorps members have served with Habitat for Humanity around the country, building homes, serving communities and gaining valuable perspective about the challenges that face our country and how to meet those needs.

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built, rehabilitated, repaired or improved more than 400,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 2 million people. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, visit habitat.org.

About the Corporation for National and Community Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve America and the Social Innovation Fund, and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

About Habitat for Humanity National Service Programs
Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps members have performed more than 5 million hours of service, engaged hundreds of thousands of volunteers and helped build more than 12,500 Habitat houses throughout the United States. For information about AmeriCorps programs, visit www.habitat.org/americorps or www.americorps.gov.