Habitat for Humanity Int'l -- Jimmy Carter Work Project 2000

New York City Volunteers Build on Faith

The New York City leg of this year's Jimmy Carter Work Project takes place at sites in Harlem and the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. President Carter will work on Habitat for Humanity's 100,000th house at the Harlem site on Monday and Tuesday, Sept.11-12.

The landmark 100,000th house is one of 22 units under construction in New York City this week. The 10-unit Harlem site where Carter will build is a rehabilitation project of a formerly abandoned apartment building. The Brooklyn houses are attached, single-family row houses.

Volunteers for the build have been drawn primarily from the New York City faith community. About 150 faith groups -- including Christian, Jewish and Muslim congregations -- have contributed time or money to the Jimmy Carter Work Project 2000. The effort to bring the diverse groups together were led by the Rev. Dr. Tom Tewell, pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church and a long-time Habitat volunteer.

The build officially kicked off Sunday night with a star-studded concert at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. Featuring stars as diverse as the Dove Award winners, Anointed, and the cast of the Broadway hit, Swing!, the concert was a celebration of the JCWP's return to New York City after 15 years.

"Habitat for Humanity has been a piece of the much larger effort to alleviate the poverty housing situation in New York, which is extreme," says Roland Lewis, executive director of Habitat for Humanity-New York City. "Habitat keeps in public consciousness that there are tens of thousands of New Yorkers without a decent place to live."

According to Lewis, more than half a million people pay more than half their incomes for housing in New York City, and a typical New York family has to wait eight years to get into public housing. Despite the grim statistics, HFH-New York City is making a difference not only by building houses, but also by building communities.

Habitat for Humanity-New York City is one of more than 1,500 United States affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International. The affiliate was created in 1984 when New York City was selected as the site of the first Jimmy Carter Work Project and currently builds in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.

"Each home we build changes people's lives, and that's what it comes down to," Lewis said.

	More JCWP Updates Today
Fla.:	100 Houses Creating New Neighborhood in Jacksonville
Ga.:	Carters Help Reach Milestones in Home County
Plus:	Remember When? JCWP 1984 in New York City


N.Y.:	Full Index of JCWP 2000 Stories Volunteer Opportunity Is A Gift, Says Actress Sarandon Brooklyn Mother Comes "Full Circle" Habitat's Work Mirrors Harlem's Overall Rejuvenation Baynes Family To Become Habitat's 100,000th Homeowners New York City Volunteers Build on Faith
Ga.:	Carters Swing Hammers In Their Hometown Volunteer Has Long History of Habitat Service Vera Thomas Thankful for "Victory House" Sumter County Declares Victory over Substandard Housing Carters Help Reach Milestones in Home County
Fla.:	Diverse Volunteers Make JCWP Possible Carter Builds in Jacksonville Top 5 Things I Learned in Jacksonville A New Homeowner's Journey of Faith 100 Houses Creating New Neighborhood
Plus:	The Hughleys Celebrate Their New House, Habitat's 100,001st Past JCWP Homeowners Now JCWP Volunteers Building On Faith Week Underway Worldwide JCWP 2001 Heads to Korea Remember When? JCWP 1984 in N.Y.C.

More About JCWP 2000

JCWP Video at iShow.com
HFH Jacksonville Web Site
HFH New York City Web Site
JCWP 2000 Sponsors

JCWP Overviews

2001 -- Korea
2000 -- N.Y., Fla., Ga.
1999 -- Philippines
1998 -- Houston, Texas
1997 -- Kentucky/Tennessee
1984-96 -- Photo History

Related Information

21st Century Challenge
Building On Faith
More Than Houses Campaign