Field Notes
With the addition of 15 new affiliates in June and July, Habitat for Humanity International has 1,505 affiliates in the United States (including the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) and is also represented in 63 other countries. In addition, there are 572 campus chapters around the world.

NORTHEAST

New York City, N.Y.—Clergy from numerous faith groups gathered in New York City on June 6 to mark the kick-off celebration for next year's Building on Faith week and for the Jimmy Carter Work Project 2000. Both events run simultaneously Sept. 11-17, 2000. Some 600 New York clergy and Habitat supporters convened for the "Builder's March" through the streets of the Big Apple. With so many religious groups represented, participants illustrated the true ecumenical nature of Habitat for Humanity and the strength of diversity. Responding to the need for decent housing, New York clergy accepted the challenge of raising $2 million to build 20 houses in the city during JCWP 2000.

New affiliates—HFH of Greater. Waterbury, Waterbury, Conn.

New campus chapters—Connecticut College, New London, Conn.; Seton Hall University, South Orange, N.J.; Saint John's University, Jamaica, N.Y.; John Jay High School, Katonah, N.Y.; Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pa.; Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa.; Radnor High School, Wayne, Pa.

CENTRAL ATLANTIC

John's Island, S.C.—Raising money for house construction is music to the ears, literally, for Habitat affiliates in the John's Island region of South Carolina. The fourth annual "Raise the Roof" concert was produced by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra in cooperation with all five area Habitat affiliates and the CSO's youth educational outreach program. Fifty percent of the proceeds were divided among the Habitat affiliates. The Pops concert by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra featured Edwin McCain, the Brotherhood Gospel Choir, House of Dreams and Parthenon Huxley of Electric Light Orchestra. Each year, the event raises enough money to build one Habitat house.

New affiliates—HFH of Jones County, Trenton, N.C.

New campus chapters—Queen Anne School, Upper Marlboro, Md.; Yorktown High School, Arlington, Va.; St. Anne's-Belfield School, Charlottesville, Va.

MID-AMERICA

Canton, Ohio—HFH of Greater Canton really scored with this year's return of the NFL Cleveland Browns. The affiliate built a "Welcome Home Cleveland Browns" house to celebrate the team's return to professional football after a three-season absence and to coincide with the NFL Hall of Fame Game in Canton on Aug. 9. The affiliate took advantage of the enthusiasm surrounding the Browns' return and approached the local Deuble Foundation for funds to sponsor the house. The foundation's founder, the late Walter Deuble, was a lifetime Browns fan, so his sons jumped at the chance to sponsor the house in his memory, says Terri Bate, affiliate executive director. On behalf of the Deuble Foundation, the Deuble sons presented the Canton affiliate a check for $36,000 and, along with their mother, participated in the build itself. Former Cleveland Browns players also participated.

New affiliates—HFH in Crittenden County, Marion, Ky.; Mayfield-Graves County HFH, Mayfield, Ky.; HFH of Morrow County, Mt. Gilead, Ohio.

New campus chapters—William Henry Harrison High School, Lafayette, Ind.

SOUTHEAST

North Fort Myers, Fla.—HFH of Lee County in North Fort Myers, Fla., is redefining the phrase "women's work." In March, the affiliate dedicated its first house built entirely by women volunteers. HFH of Lee County attributes the event's success to 22 women's groups and to the contributions from more than 350 individuals. More than 100 women contributed the $35,000 needed to build the house, many honoring female friends and relatives through the affiliate's "Honor a Woman" program.

New campus chapters—Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Ga.

Special area building needs—Greater Miami HFH in Miami, Fla., seeks volunteers to help build in its Jordan Commons project. For information, call (305) 670-2224. Flint River HFH in Albany, Ga., is building houses in its ongoing flood recovery efforts. For information, contact Karen Kitchens, (912) 446-8199.

MIDWEST

Harper Woods, Mich.—Consider driving the breadth of the United States. It would take a few days, right? Now consider crossing the country on a bicycle. That's what metro Detroit resident Kent Rolfing did last summer hoping to raise $100,000 through pledges of $10 each. Though he was joined by family and friends at certain points along the way, the long-time Habitat volunteer and supporter made the journey by himself. Rolfing pedaled from Oregon to Maine and will donate the proceeds from his trip to HFH-Detroit.

New affiliates—Chicagoland HFH, Chicago, Ill.; HFH of the Greater Marion Area, Marion, Ill.; HFH of Martin County, Fairmont, Minn.; Monroe County HFH, Sparta, Wis.

New campus chapters—University of Minnesota-Duluth, Duluth, Minn.; North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, N.D.; North Central Technical College, Wausau, Wis.

MIDDLE STATES

Omaha, Neb.—Volunteers with Omaha HFH in Omaha, Neb., have long put their faith into action and in September, they kicked off the construction of the affiliate's 100th house. Millard Fuller, founder and president of HFHI, traveled to Omaha to mark the occasion and to share with volunteers the excitement of working toward the affiliate's 200th house. Appropriately, the event occurred during Building on Faith week, with the house identified as the "House that Faith Built." Affiliate volunteers and Omaha officials celebrated the milestone with a wall-raising and citywide worship service on Sept. 15.

New affiliates—Garden City HFH, Garden City, Kan.; Warsaw Area HFH, Warsaw, Mo.; HFH York County, York, Neb.

New campus chapters—University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, Neb.; Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas; Wiley College, Marshall, Texas.

Special area building needs—Marion County HFH in Columbia, Miss., is a new affiliate building its second house and needs volunteers. For information, call (601) 736-0401.

MOUNTAIN STATES

Littleton, Colo.—From utter tragedy can sometimes come hope. Look no further than the shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. In June, the local community began construction on a Habitat house to honor the memory of slain student John Tomlin. Tomlin's history of building houses for the less fortunate and his love for Chevrolet trucks prompted the automobile manufacturer to sponsor the house. Denver HFH designated Thursdays from June through August as student work days, allowing Columbine High School students to help build the house in honor of their friend. The affiliate designated five Saturdays as community work days as well.

New affiliates—Otero County HFH, Alamagordo, N.M.; Columbia County HFH, Columbia, Ore. New campus chapters—University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, Calif.; University of Washington-Seattle, Wash.

WEST

New affiliates—HFH of Tuolumne County, Sonora, Calif.

—Shawn Reeves

Habitat Around the World
Affiliate Countries - Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Armenia · Australia · Bangladesh · Belize · Bolivia · Botswana · Brazil · Burundi · Canada · Central African Republic · Colombia · Costa Rica · Democratic Republic of Congo · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Ethiopia · Fiji · Germany · Ghana · Great Britain · Guatemala · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Hungary · India · Indonesia · Jamaica · Japan · Kenya · Kyrgyzstan · Malawi · Malaysia · Mexico · Nepal · Netherlands · New Zealand · Nicaragua · Nigeria · Northern Ireland · Pakistan · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Poland · Portugal · Republic of Korea · Romania · Slovenia · Solomon Islands · South Africa · Sri Lanka · Tanzania · Thailand · Trinidad and Tobago · Uganda · United States, Territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico · Zambia · Zimbabwe


Reprinted from Habitat World Magazine, October/November 1999.
This article may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
©1999 Habitat for Humanity International