500,000th milestone as part of World Habitat Day events
Habitat for Humanity will mark a major milestone Oct. 3 when it dedicates its 500,000th house in Maai Mahiu, Kenya, and begins construction on its 500,001st house in Paterson, N.J. Volunteers and homeowners from Habitat for Humanity of Clinton County will join in celebrating the milestones as part of events being held worldwide to mark World Habitat Day.
Habitat for Humanity of Clinton County is among the more than 2,300 Habitat affiliates worldwide that have made this milestone possible, having built five houses since its founding in 2000.
We’re centering our celebration around the construction of our sixth home at 131 E. High Street in Ovid, explains Michelle Smith, board president. “To mark this milestone, we’ve invited local officials, including our legislators to come spend half a day working on the home we are currently building.”
Rep. Ben Glarden (Dist. 85) and Sen. Rick Jones (Dist. 24) will be working alongside Habitat for Humanity volunteers on Mon., Oct. 3. Later that week, on Sat., Oct. 8, Rep. Paul Opsommer (Dist. 93) will be helping out on the build site.
The milestone houses represent the steady increase in Habitat for Humanity’s scale and scope to help more families in need of decent, affordable housing. In 2005, Habitat celebrated its 200,000th house. Six years later, Habitat for Humanity has more than doubled that number through new, rehabilitated, repaired and improved homes.
“It is a testament to the power of what God can do when people come together to build homes, communities and hope,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “I am so grateful to all of the volunteers, donors and advocates who share our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”
In Kenya, Habitat for Humanity will complete the 500,000th house on Oct. 3 in partnership with families who were displaced after post-election violence erupted in the country in late 2007. That same day, volunteers will raise the walls on Habitat’s 500,001st house in Paterson, N.J. The house will be built in one of the inner-city neighborhoods where Paterson Habitat for Humanity has been continuously building since 1984.
Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide organization that operates in nearly 80 countries, including all 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Thanks to Habitat for Humanity’s help, a family somewhere in the world improves its housing situation every 7 minutes of every hour of every day of the year. In 2010, Habitat for Humanity served a record 74,960 families in need.
Pictured are volunteers from the United Church of Ovid and Church of the Living Word preparing for a day of installing drywall board on Habitat Clinton County’s sixth house in Ovid. In the center of the group is Luther Senter who worked along side the volunteers contributing his sweat equity to the home being built for his family.