"In my role, I see a lot of good that other people are doing." Andy Locke notes that the Thrivent Builds experience gave him a chance to do some of that good work, to roll up his sleeves and be a part of it by actually doing the work, by recruiting volunteers and getting people from his neighborhood to join them.

Andy Locke
Although Andy Locke had worked for Thrivent Financial as a manager of Lutheran community services in the Chicago area for five years, he was skeptical when he first heard about Thrivent Builds.

"I wasn't really sure if this would be a good alliance for Thrivent Financial. I didn't know a lot about Habitat for Humanity, and had never volunteered with them before," says Andy. But his skepticism faded once the project started in June. "It was about 90 degrees, we were out here talking about starting this activity, and just as the weather has changed, a lot of my attitude has changed also."

He found out that the Habitat organization has a meaningful mission, one that dovetails with Thrivent Financial's: bringing financial security to people. "In the Chicagoland area, the fastest way to becoming financially secure and getting into the financial mainstream is through home ownership. That's what we were able to help provide," Andy says.

He also found out that, just as it has in his own life, Thrivent Builds has struck a chord with Thrivent members like nothing before. "I have caught the fire and I have seen a lot of people that have caught the fire also." He is struck most by the fact that where there was once an empty lot, a home now exists. "After 600 volunteers from 30 different churches, giving more than 4,000 hours, we have a brand new home, and it's a pretty nice home, too, I might add."

Working on the project brought a new perspective to Andy. "In my role, I see a lot of good that other people are doing." He notes that the Thrivent Builds experience gave him a chance to do some of that good work, to roll up his sleeves and be a part of it by actually doing the work, by recruiting volunteers and getting people from his neighborhood to join them. "I think of all the things I did on the project, that was probably the one that was the most rewarding, that at the end of the day, walking away and knowing that you accomplished something to help other people."