What they’re saying in Khen Giang
During a televised awards ceremony and fundraising concert to honor donors making a difference in people’s lives, Habitat Vietnam received an award from former vice president Truong My Hoa, who lauded the program for making major contributions to helping families in need in Kien Giang province in the south of the country. In that area, with partner and fellow honoree Catalyst Foundation, Habitat Vietnam is working Village, a project to move 90 families garbage site to new homes. In addition to Rainbow Habitat Vietnam has assisted more than 2,000 families in Kien Giang in improving their homes and water and sanitation facilities through housing microfinance loans.

Who’s partnering in Southern Santa Barbara County, Calif.
Habitat Southern Santa Barbara County is teaming with environmental public benefit corporation Deconstruction & Building Materials ReUse Network Inc. to keep tons of materials from entering local landfills — and to put them to good use in the service of affordable housing efforts. Deconstruction Network works with local deconstruction contractors and building professionals to offer homeowners simple solutions for dismantling and reusing their homes’ valuable physical assets, such as reusable doors and windows. Under the partnership, Habitat will to use some of the nonprofit’s recovered materials in home construction or sell them through the affiliate’s ReStore.

Who’s volunteering in Toronto
On Valentine’s Day, single Torontonians with a heart for Habitat gathered for a build and after-party benefiting Habitat Toronto. Build participants each raised pledges and brought along a single friend of the opposite sex. The Feb. 14 day of construction was followed by a party a few days later; build participants were granted free admission. One-hundred percent of the US$5,000 raised from both events goes directly to building Habitat homes.