Habitat for Humanity kicks off annual Build-a-Thon with hundreds of AmeriCorps members

Habitat for Humanity’s AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon provides members opportunities to work alongside families in various locations across the country. During the 2015 Build-a-Thon, Habitat AmeriCorps members traveled to New Orleans to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

ATLANTA (May 19, 2016) – Working to build strong and stable homes and communities, nearly 400 Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps members from across the country will travel to select cities in North Carolina, South Carolina and Colorado to build or repair 36 homes during Habitat’s annual AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon.

This year, Habitat AmeriCorps members and alumni will work on projects alongside Habitat homeowners in North Carolina and South Carolina, May 22-28 and in Colorado, June 5-11.

  • Nearly 100 members will build or rehab nine houses in Raleigh, North Carolina.
  • Almost 200 members will build or rehab 16 Habitat houses across the Charlotte metro area.
  • Nearly 100 members will build or rehab 11 Habitat houses across Colorado, including Longmont, Boulder and Berthound.

“The impact Habitat AmeriCorps members make in the communities they serve is undeniable,” said Peter Rumsey, director of National Service, Habitat for Humanity International. “Build-a-Thon is a great way for Habitat to recognize the outstanding service of our AmeriCorps members and their role in helping homeowners achieve strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.”

Habitat’s annual Build-a-Thon events are held in partnership with local Habitat for Humanity organizations to help meet the need for decent and affordable housing in the U.S., while celebrating the impact made through Habitat’s partnership with AmeriCorps.

AmeriCorps is a network of National Service programs that engage more than 80,000 Americans each year in intensive service throughout the U.S. National Service programs, such as AmeriCorps, are funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Since 1994, more than 9,000 Habitat AmeriCorps members have served roughly 24,000 families, engaged more than 3.3 million volunteers and raised tens of millions of dollars to meet the housing needs of families in the U.S.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity has grown from a grassroots effort that began on a community farm in southern Georgia in 1976 to a global nonprofit housing organization in nearly 1,400 communities across the U.S. and in over 70 countries. People partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.

About the Corporation for National and Community Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads the president’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.