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Worldwide Trips > El Salvador Community > El Salvador Update
El Salvador Update
October 2008
Pilot becomes program! The El Salvador Community
Helping Salvadoran families build their homes in a holistic community. Making lifelong friendships. Experiencing another culture in a hands-on, shoulder-to-shoulder, fulfilling way. That's all part of the new Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community. On behalf of its members, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has committed up to $1.3 million to Habitat for Humanity El Salvador. After incorporating feedback from the 2008 pilot teams, the Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community will launch into a full program accepting teams in Santa Ana during the spring of 2009. Up to 30 Thrivent Builds Worldwide teams will travel to El Salvador in 2009 for a ten-day experience. Based on ongoing evaluation and member interest, additional teams may continue building into 2010.
The impact of this program will be great, continually growing, and having an impact on more and more people's lives. As a way to keep all of you who have already helped up-to-date on the evolution of the community YOU have helped create, we will keep you informed via this El Salvador Update. Starting in the spring of 2009, each month we will feature stories from the latest teams, news on the families whose homes YOU helped to build, recognition for those who have donated to help even more families, and progress on the homes in our Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community.
Be sure to bookmark this Web page and visit again to find out the latest news!
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Looking back and looking forward
On the heels of the successful implementation of the Gulf Coast Community in the United States, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans was seeking an international Habitat for Humanity affiliate to work with to build a second Thrivent Builds Worldwide Community. This program in El Salvador was created in response to Thrivent members' interest in Central America, the connections with the Lutheran church in El Salvador, the need for decent housing in El Salvador and the model community concept that Habitat El Salvador had already developed.
Historically, Habitat for Humanity El Salvador has only built with families that already owned land. Through holistic community projects, which Habitat El Salvador first started developing in June 2007, Habitat El Salvador is now able to serve landless families who are at an even lower level on the economic scale. In the nearly completed Charlotte Model Community, land, housing, basic infrastructure (water, electricity, and sewage treatment), streets with sidewalks, green areas, a daycare and a community center are all provided for sixty families. The 40 volunteers that traveled to El Salvador as part of the five pilot teams during the summer of 2008 completed the final six homes in the Charlotte Model Community, so by October 2008, only the community center remains to be built.
Moving into 2009, Thrivent Financial has joined together with Habitat El Salvador to continue this community project in Santa Ana. We will build an additional 75 decent, earthquake-resistant homes and additional projects, selected through a community needs assessment, to improve the quality of life and create a neighborhood where children can live and play in a safe environment. The goal is that this community will serve as a model, not only in terms of the physical infrastructure, but also in the way neighbors treat each other and work together to improve their communities.
Want to be a part of this special community? A Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community trip includes ten days of lodging, meals, cross-cultural activities and tours, a rewarding volunteer experience, celebrations and opportunities to stay connected when you come home.
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Stay involved! Donate, advocate and volunteer
Donate today and make an even bigger impact
Through the Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community, Thrivent Financial members are helping as many as 75 families know the safety and security of their own homes. But the need is still great. There are still nearly 400,000 families living in substandard housing in El Salvador.
YOU can make a difference and help even more families today. Donating to Habitat for Humanity El Salvador is easy with 3 tax-deductible options:
- Online: Go to www.habitat.org/donation/ and click on "Donate Online." Before you submit your donation, please "Designate Your Gift" to the Habitat National Office of El Salvador.
- Telephone: Call 1-800-HABITAT and explain that you want to donate to El Salvador.
- Mail: Send your check to Habitat for Humanity International along with the required donation form. Please write Habitat El Salvador in the check memo slot and also note clearly on the donation form that you would like to designate your donation to Habitat El Salvador.
By fundraising for an additional donation to Habitat for Humanity El Salvador, you are helping provide the hope and security of homeownership to even more families.
Advocate your support for the El Salvador Community
- Recruit future participants by using the prepared El Salvador Community promotional resources, including a bulletin insert, newsletter article and a program fact sheet.
- Share your experience by using the prepared El Salvador Community post-trip resources, including a PowerPoint template and a post-trip news release
- Coming soon: an El Salvador Community video, featuring inspirational and motivational interviews of trip leaders, team participants and partner families.
- Coming soon: printed trip participant stories, featuring heartfelt experiences from an El Salvador Community trip participant in a creatively designed booklet.
Volunteer as a team leader or team participant
- Be a team leader — Recruit teams of 10-13 volunteers.
- Join an existing trip — There are limited trip weeks available for individuals.
- Coming soon: calendar of available weeks for El Salvador Community trips in 2009.
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Want to be a part of another community?
Thrivent Builds Worldwide Gulf Coast Community —Hurricane Gustav not only caused construction delays, but also destroyed homes, leaving even more families in temporary housing and FEMA trailers. Because of that, volunteers are needed more than ever. Help support the Trace Lane Community plus a new community that will be started in Gulfport, Mississippi.
In 2008, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans committed $2.5 million to Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast to build up to 40 homes. In 2009, Thrivent members have committed an additional $1.7 million to support a new 28-home community in Gulfport, MS in 2009.
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Send us your story!
Have you been part of a Thrivent Builds Worldwide El Salvador Community trip? Do you have stories or photos you'd like to share with others? Send them to Kelsey Midthun for consideration in future issues of the El Salvador Update. We want YOU to share the experience and inspire others to help!
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El Salvador Update Archive
If you would like to read previous issues of the El Salvador Update, simply access the El Salvador Update Archive from this link or from the left navigation bar.
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