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Thrivent Builds Publicity Newsletter
October 2009
- Past, Present, and Future of Thrivent Builds
- Many homes still to be dedicated this year
- Thrivent Builds Mobile wrap-up
- Media Watch: July-September 2009
- What's new on www.thriventbuilds.com: Gulf Coast Update and El Salvador Update
- Feedback
- Newsletter Archive
Past, Present and Future of Thrivent Builds
When we look back over the four years of the alliance between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity, there so many accomplishments, volunteers, and families to celebrate. Many of you have been asking for facts on how many homes have been built, lives impacted, hours volunteered. Now we have answers! A newly-revised Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity Fact Sheet looks at the impact from all four years of the alliance. Please share this document – or just your favorite facts from it – with interested audiences.
Although 2009 brings the formal four-year alliance between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity to a close, Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity will continue in 2010. On behalf of its members, Thrivent Financial is funding the 2010 program with a $15 million commitment, maintaining its position as Habitat for Humanity's largest non-government sponsor.
Here's what the Thrivent Builds programs look like for next year:
Thrivent Builds Homes Program
Members of the Thrivent Financial Lutheran Engagement Team (LET) and Habitat for Humanity affiliates are deep in the grant application process that supports the 2010 Thrivent Builds Homes program. Based on preliminary estimates, 200 Thrivent Builds homes will be built in 2010. However, the number of homes funded by the 2010 program will likely change based on the results of the application process and other planning efforts currently underway.
Similar to previous years, the final number of homes and the home locations will be announced in mid-November. Watch www.thriventbuilds.com for a listing of 2010 build locations after Nov. 15.
Thrivent Builds Worldwide Program
Thrivent Builds is accepting and confirming trip proposals now for the 2010 Thrivent Builds Worldwide program. Based on preliminary estimates, 100 trips to many domestic and international locations will be offered in 2010. This is close to the number of trips that members and other volunteers have enjoyed in previous years.
Act soon! If you hope to join or lead a team to help complete construction of the Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community, keep in mind that those trips are only being offered from January through June of 2010. Learn more about the Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community on the Thrivent Builds website or watch a video about this community.
Still Many Homes to Dedicate
It's an exciting time of year. Halloween is just around the corner, Thanksgiving is on the near horizon and Christmas will be here before we know it. And mixed in with all of these special celebrations, family get-togethers, and holiday preparations are dozens of Thrivent Builds home dedications in the planning stages. It's a wonderful time of year to hold a dedication for many reasons, but especially because of the openness and generosity of spirit that is prevalent during the holidays.
Don't forget to share your Thrivent Builds dedication story not only with Habitat staff and volunteers, but also with your community via the churches that have supported your build (church bulletins and websites), the Thrivent chapters that have helped raise funds and provide volunteers (meeting announcements and websites) and, of course, your local media (news releases and media alerts). Many dedication tools are available on www.thriventbuilds.com/resources to make your job easier. Use these tools by filling in the appropriate information, adapting them to better fit your needs, or simply drawing on them for inspiration as you create your own outreach materials.
Some of messages you will want to incorporate into all of your materials include:
- The number of Thrivent Builds homes you are building this year.
- The number of Thrivent Builds homes you have built during the four years of the Thrivent Builds alliance.
- The number of homes built this year in your state (contact cheryl.winget@thrivent.com if you are unsure of where to find this information).
- More than 300 homes will have been completed in 37 states and the District of Columbia during 2009 because of the Thrivent Builds alliance.
Saying Goodbye to the "Big Red Truck"
The Thrivent Builds Mobile (TBM) was officially decommissioned at the end of the 2009. Although we are very sad to see it go, we have lots to celebrate! Since 2005, the TBM has visited 157 cities in 28 states. We continually experienced 20-70% increase in daily attendance year over year – much of it due to your help and cooperation! Overall, almost 170,000 people toured the truck, not to mention the millions of people who were touched by media outreach (7,476,282 individuals during the 2009 tour alone!).
The TBM experience also provided many learnings that can be applied to Thrivent Builds Homes, Thrivent Builds Worldwide and other programs. Some of the ideas used for the TBM tours that have been adapted for use in other areas include event publicity plans, web driving strategy and community building. A big thank you goes out to everyone who helped make the Thrivent Builds Mobile tour a success across the country over the last four years!
Media Watch: July – September 2009
Even though the summer months were busy construction times for Thrivent Builds homes, you did a wonderful job in reaching out to the media about your projects. July and August were particularly good media months with more than 325 hits during that time period. September was a little slower but we expect to see an increase in the final quarter of the year as all of your wonderful dedication stories begin to surface in newspapers, on TV, and on the Web.
Here are some examples of some great media stories during the last three months:
- July 6, 2009, Fort Wayne, IN, FW Daily News, "Thrivent Financial breaks ground for Habitat home," 6,612 circ.
- July 18, 2009, Fargo, ND, WDAY TV 6 (ABC), "...workers blessed the site where the family's new home is being built...Habitat for Humanity, Thrivent Financial, and local church support...," 24,001 est. audience.
- August 5, 2009, St. James, MN, St. James Plaindealer, "Thrivent Financial a driving force for Watonwan's Habitat for Humanity," 3,500 est. circ.
- August 23, 2009, Aiken, SC, Aiken Standard, "Habitat raises the walls on a new home," 16,669 circ.
- September 2, 2009, O'Fallon, MO, Mid Rivers Newsmagazine, "Move-in day for new Habitat home," 61,687 circ.
- September 12, 2009, Iron Mountain, MI, The Daily News, "Lutherans help build Habitat home in Vulcan; more volunteers needed," 9,464 circ.
Thank you for all you do to tell the Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity story. If you have questions or need any help with your media outreach efforts, contact cheryl.winget@thrivent.com (612-844-5025) or kelsey.midthun@thrivent.com (612-844-5825).
What's New on Thriventbuilds.com: Gulf Coast Update and El Salvador Update
Thrivent Builds Worldwide Gulf Coast Update
Each month, the Gulf Coast Update features homeowner and volunteer stories, construction and fund-raising updates and new opportunities to make a difference in the Thrivent Builds Worldwide Gulf Coast Community. So volunteers can stay connected with how their hard work and dedication during their trip is continuing to make a lasting impact in the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Update
Each month, the El Salvador Update features homeowner and volunteer stories, construction updates and new opportunities to make a difference in the Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community. So volunteers can stay connected with how their hard work and dedication during their trip is continuing to make a lasting impact in Villa Esperanza – the Thrivent Community.
Feedback
Is this newsletter helpful to you? Do you have additional ideas for articles you'd find helpful? Please send your feedback to Nicole Doebert.
Newsletter Archive
If you would like to read previous issues of the Thrivent Builds newsletter, simply access the Newsletter Archive from this link or from the left navigation bar.