Eduardo and Aida Diaz built their Habitat house with National Football League players and Habitat volunteers in California during Super Bowl week in January 2003.

Looking Back: A Photographic Journey

Habitat for Humanity house construction takes place around the globe every hour of every day. In just one year's time, more than 20,000 houses are built--some with little fanfare, others with huge celebrations. Either way, the accomplishment is momentous, especially for the family who takes residence. A sampling of those momentous occasions appears in the following pages. For a list of upcoming events in your area, visit: www.habitat.org/local/event.asp.

January | California, U.S.A.
The roar of the crowd made way for the buzz of the saw and the hammering of nails during the 2003 Super Bowl blitz build. Four National Football League players built a Habitat house alongside volunteers and homeowners during the week of Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego. At the time, Eduardo and Aida Diaz, the NFL partner family, looked forward to moving their two young sons, 7-year-old Elias and 4-year-old Benjamin, out of a small apartment and into their Habitat house. "One of the best dreams we have is to own a house, and now we see it come true," said Eduardo. "My sons say they can't wait to play football in a yard with grass, instead of on the small concrete slab they use now." Building up to the 2004 Super Bowl in Houston, Houston Habitat for Humanity will build 38 Habitat houses in as many days.

January | U.S.A.
From Jan.18-26, communities in more than 11 states participated in the first "Building on the Dream" Habitat for Humanity event. With the idea of honoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream of a world that would triumph over poverty, war and racism, Habitat affiliates encouraged people to volunteer, build houses and raise awareness about adequate housing in their communities. "[Dr. King's] dream and Habitat's dream of providing housing coincide," said Albany State University campus chapter volunteer Jeremy Dumas, at the Albany, Ga., site. "Dr. King spoke of freedom and Habitat allows financial freedom to so many people." This year's Building on the Dream event is scheduled for Jan. 16-23. (See Behind the Scenes for related story.)

Above: The Portland Cement Association sponsored this Habitat house at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas, Nev., in January 2003. Below: Youth United volunteers (clockwise from top left) Jamin Weagraff, Alicia Corder, Leah McKinney, Sarah Taylor and Lauren Snow participated in the construction aspect of youth involvement in Mount Airy, N.C., in 2003.

January | Nevada, U.S.A.
In the shadow of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the National Association of Home Builders' International Builders' Show built two Habitat houses in the center's parking lot. Reed Residential Group (publishers of Professional Builder magazine) sponsored the future home of José and Elizabeth Zavala. Upon completion, the house was transported 2 1/2 hours northeast to St. George, Utah. The Zavala family moved from a 342-square-foot trailer that had no safe drinking water into a solid Habitat house. "I have been praying to God that we would be accepted [into Habitat's program], because we really need this house," Elizabeth said. The Portland Cement Association also sponsored the second house built during the convention with contributions from Dow and Team Concrete.

April | U.S.A.
Building tomorrow's leaders today, Youth United, an initiative of Habitat for Humanity International's Campus Chapters and Youth Programs department, helped build houses last year in several states and Washington, D.C. The program provides young people, ages 5 to 25, an opportunity to help make homeownership a reality by raising money and helping with construction. Younger children fund raise through various activities, such as bake sales or building mailboxes and birdhouses, while older participants in the program landscape yards and raise walls on houses. In 2004, affiliates will highlight the yearlong Youth United program with a weeklong celebration April 17-24.

(continued)