Habitat For Humanity of Greater L.A. Helps Support Habitat for Humanity's 26th Annual 'Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project' in Southeast Asia

The five-day event from, Nov. 15-20, 2009 will serve to construct and rehabilitate 175 houses.

LOS ANGELES, CA, November 09, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (HFH GLA) joins former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, his wife, Rosalynn, thousands of volunteers from around the world and partner families to support Habitat for Humanity's 26th annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Southeast Asia. The five-day event from, Nov. 15-20, 2009 will serve to construct and rehabilitate 175 houses. During this year's Carter Project, volunteers will build houses along the Mekong River region, which includes Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China and Laos. The event will launch Habitat's five-year Mekong Build campaign to serve 50,000 families throughout the region.

To help build the homes, HFH GLA will be sending 10 staff members to volunteer in Vietnam, Chen Mai and Cambodia, including President/CEO Erin Rank, who will visit several sites. The local affiliate recently received a generous donation of $80,000 from an anonymous local donor all of which has been designated to go towards rebuilding coastal towns in Sri Lanka devastated by the 2004 Tsunami and making them a bronze partner in this year's Carter Project.

In addition to supporting the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, HFH GLA has worked to make simple, decent housing possible by raising over $900,000 USD to support international work and over $1,000,000 USD for other US affiliates, most notably in support of rebuilding in the Gulf after Hurricane Katrina. In addition to raising funds, HFH GLA has built and renovated over 600 homes locally and worldwide. In 2007, HFH GLA hosted the 24th Annual JCWP, the first to seek LEED certification on all of the homes constructed, and has since continued its commitment to sustainable building, including a new ten home neighborhood underway in the City of Lynwood.

The Carters are Habitat's most famous volunteers. Each year since 1984, the Carters have given one week of their time to build homes and raise awareness about the need for simple, decent and affordable housing. The 2009 Carter Work Project will mark the fourth time the former U.S. president and his wife have built with Habitat for Humanity in Asia. Previous Carter Work Projects were held in India in 2006, in South Korea in 2001 and in the Philippines in 1999.

About Habitat For Humanity Of Greater Los Angeles
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles strives to eliminate poverty housing through advocacy, education and partnership with families in need to build simple, decent affordable housing. Since 1990, HFH GLA has built and renovated over 600 homes locally and worldwide, transforming the lives of hundreds of individuals. For more information, visit www.habitatla.org.

26 Years of Building with the Carters
Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have been helping Habitat for Humanity shine the spotlight on the need for affordable housing since 1984. That year, the Carters led a small team of Habitat volunteers to New York City to help renovate a six-story apartment building with 19 families in need of decent, affordable shelter. A quarter of a century later, that modest effort has grown into an internationally recognized annual event that has taken place in communities around the world.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.

Contacts:

Nakia Fowler
Habitat for Humanity Int'l
404-962-3445
nfowler@habitat.org

Jo-An Turman (on site)
Sr. Director Marketing & Communications
Habitat for Humanity GLA
T: 310-323-4663 ext. 121
C: 310-749-6613 (on site)
jturman@habitatla.org

Angela Moore
Starfish P.R.
T: 310-429-8868
angela@starfish-pr.com