Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity

Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity is a homebuilding and advocacy alliance between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity. This alliance seeks to increase Habitat's capacity to build more homes and promote donations, volunteerism, and worldwide homebuilding trips by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans' members.

History

The Thrivent Builds alliance began in September, 2005,^[1] with a four-year commitment of $105 million. Thrivent Financial chose Habitat for Humanity as an ally because in the ten years previous, its members had already proven their interest in volunteering with them by building over 500 homes.^[2] In December, 2007, Thrivent Financial increased its total commitment to $125 million.^[3] The alliance makes Thrivent Financial one of Habitat’s largest single allies and aims to increase Habitat’s annual house production by hundreds of U. S. homes per year and more around the world.^[4]

Programs

There are two programs within the Thrivent Builds alliance.

• Through Thrivent Builds Homes, Thrivent Financial and other Lutheran volunteers help build more than 300 homes a year within the United States with more than 200 Habitat for Humanity affiliates.^[5] As of year-end 2008, over 1,000 homes were built with Habitat for Humanity families through this program.^[6]
• Thrivent Builds Worldwide offers Thrivent Financial members the opportunity to volunteer for one- to three-week homebuilding trips around the world where there are existing Habitat for Humanity programs. Thrivent Builds volunteers have helped build Habitat homes in Romania,^[7] Poland,^[8] South Africa,^[9] New Zealand,^[10] Guatemala,^[11] El Salvador,^[12] the Mississippi Gulf Coast^[13] and many more destinations.

Additionally, there are two whole communities being built:

• In the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Thrivent Builds is sponsoring a community of 28 homes with families displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.^[14]
• An additional community of 75 homes is being sponsored in Santa Ana, El Salvador, with 40 teams of Thrivent Financial volunteers helping to build in 2009.

References

1. Thrivent deepens relationship with Habitat for Humanity
2. About Thrivent Builds
3. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will build 322 Habitat for Humanity houses in ’08, increases commitment by $20 million
4. Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity Alliance Fact Sheet
5. Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity helps keep the dream of homeownership alive for low-income families, announces ’09 commitments
6. Thrivent Builds page on Habitat's website
7. Marie Uhrich's Romania Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip journal
8. Terri Gafford's Poland Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip journal
9. Diane Simon's South Africa Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip journal
10. Becky Acton's New Zealand Travel Blog
11. Guatemala Travel Blog
12. Nicole Doebert's Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip journal
13. Donna Mulder's Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip journal
14. Thrivent Donates $24M for '09 Habitat Homes

External links

• Official websites:
  • Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity
  • Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
  • Habitat for Humanity
• Thrivent Financial for Lutherans at Google Finance