Nissan joins Wounded Warrior Project and Habitat for Humanity to build new home with a Dallas veteran

  • Nissan honors its commitment to make a lasting impact on the lives of families long after the 2015 Super Bowl “With Dad” broadcast ended
  • Donation of 500,000 to each family-oriented organization leads to the build of a new home in partnership with Iraq war veteran Brenda Lopez
  • Wounded Warrior Project volunteers help with the construction of a new Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity home

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 18, 2015) – Nissan North America, in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity and Wounded Warrior Project, started construction of a Dallas-area home on Saturday in partnership with Brenda Lopez, a current member of the Army Reserves who served with the 360th Brigade in Iraq during 2008 and 2009.

The home build, which is expected to be completed in the summer, was initially announced following Nissan’s 90-second “With Dad” Super Bowl XLIX commercial and the company’s 1 million donation to the two nonprofit organizations.

Nissan has been a partner to both organizations for many years, and the “With Dad” campaign brought all three groups together for this special project. Volunteers from Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, WWP Alumni and employees of Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp. in the Dallas area donated their time and construction skills as they worked alongside Ms. Lopez and her dad, Teodoro Lopez. The new home will be located in the Oak Cliff Gardens neighborhood, which is located near the Dallas Veterans Administration Medical Center.

A specialist in the Army Reserve, Lopez, a Dallas native, is a recipient of the Army Commendation Medal. She has two preschool children and is taking classes at Mountain View Community College, in addition to working as an office cashier at a local home improvement store.

“We are grateful to Nissan for their commitment to help families realize their dream of homeownership,” said Colleen Finn Ridenhour, Habitat for Humanity International deputy director Corporate, Foundation and Institutional Relations. “We were honored to be part of the Nissan Super Bowl campaign and to be building with the Wounded Warrior volunteers.”

Nissan’s “With Dad” commercial followed the struggles of a hardworking and resilient family striving for togetherness over the years. The commercial was the top-ranked ad in this year’s YouTube AdBlitz survey.

Since 2005, Nissan’s total support for Habitat for Humanity has surpassed 11.6 million. In response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, Nissan donated 50 Nissan Titan trucks to assist Habitat’s response efforts in the Gulf Coast and mobilized employees to partner in homebuilding.

Nissan employees have helped to build 63 homes across the United States, including nine in Dallas, over the past eight years, logging more than 70,000 volunteer hours building homes with Habitat for Humanity.

The company’s support of the WWP includes a recent “Project Titan” adventure, in which two injured veterans piloted a custom-built Nissan Titan pickup on a 10-day adventure through the Alaskan wilderness.

About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the Americas media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan’s second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 244,500 employees globally, Nissan sold almost 5.2 million vehicles and generated revenue of 10.5 trillion yen (US105 billion) in fiscal 2013. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history with almost 50 percent share of the zero-emission vehicle segment. For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Anchored by the conviction that housing provides a path out of poverty, since 1976 Habitat has helped more than 5 million people through home construction, rehabilitation and repairs and by increasing access to improved shelter through products and services. Habitat also advocates to improve access to decent and affordable shelter and offers a variety of housing support services that enable families with limited means to make needed improvements on their homes as their time and resources allow. As a nonprofit Christian housing organization, Habitat works in more than 70 countries and welcomes people of all races, religions and nationalities to partner in its mission. To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit habitat.org.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project has a vision of fostering the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation’s history. To achieve this objective, WWP is committed to a lifetime of service and commitment through its mission: to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP currently serves more than 65,000 warriors and 10,000 family members through its 20 unique programs and services. The purpose of WWP is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.

About Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity
Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity believes that hard working individuals and families be provided the opportunity to live in thriving neighborhoods where hopes and dreams are realized for generations to come because poverty housing is socially, politically and spiritually unacceptable. Since 1986, Dallas Habitat has served more than 1500 low-income families using affordable homeownership as an anchor for hope, change and stabilization, resulting in an investment of approximately 150 million in more than 25 neighborhoods for families that pay almost 2 million annually in property taxes in Dallas County. For more information, visit www.dallas-habitat.org.