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Gulf Coast Update Archive
April 2010
- Volunteer spotlight
- You're never too "seasoned" to volunteer
- Partner Family Spotlight
- Get involved: PGA Tour
- Lead a trip. Build an entire community and life-long relationships
- Make an Even Bigger Impact – Donate Today
- Send us Your Story
- Gulf Coast Update Archive
Volunteer spotlight
With spring in the air, the Habitat worksites have been abuzz with activity (and mosquitoes) here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast was host to three Thrivent Builds Worldwide Gulf Coast Community teams in the month of March.
- Barbara Dunn led a team to the Gulf Coast the first week of March. Her team directed their efforts toward completing the roof on a MEMA Cottage (see last month's update for more details on the MEMA Cottage program) in Pascagoula, MS. These brave souls were atop of a roof 25 ft in the air (these homes are on stilts) for the majority of their week on the MS Gulf Coast.
- Nathan Anenson led a team from St. Luke's Church in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. This team devoted their time on the Gulf Coast to ensuring that a house was in tip-top shape for inspection. They painstakingly caulked cracks, painted trim, and did other various tasks to get the home ready for inspection and occupancy.
- Linda Arnason's team came by train and plane all the way from North Dakota. They traded in their parkas for shorts and t-shirts and embarked on a journey to provide simple, decent, affordable housing for the people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Linda's team worked on new construction in Connor's Garden in Gulfport, MS.
You're Never Too "Seasoned" to Volunteer
By Dennis Fuhrman
Gracie did everything from picking up nails, to holding and delivering boards to the workers, made sure everyone had their hard hat on, saw to it that we all had plenty of water to drink, and picked up the trash, scraps and tools at the end of the day. Gracie brought hard hats for Ellen and herself which she purchased from local hard ware store back home before the trip, so everyone signed them the last day.
Gracie and her friend Ellen came to a church in Cheney, KS to be with me for Thrivent Awareness in October. When Gracie brought her suit case with her hard hat, hammer and nail belt in it for props to talk with the Lutherans and urge them to sign up for Thrivent Builds Worldwide. Afterwards 4 people came up to me and said they were interested in going. Gracie has volunteers lined up to go this year from her home town Argonia, KS.
Partner Family Spotlight
HFHMGC to benefit from PGA Tour Stop – GET INVOLVED
Lead a trip. Build an entire community and life–long relationships.
Thrivent Financial has committed millions of dollars to help rebuild entire neighborhoods in Gulf Coast.On behalf of its members, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans committed $2.5 million to Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2008 to build up to 40 homes-nearly all in the Trace Lane community-and contribute to the affiliate's ability to serve more families. In 2009, Thrivent Financial built a new Community in Gulfport, Mississippi where it is committing an additional $1.7 million. And the work will continue in 2010!
Your enthusiasm and leadership skills are the catalyst to help your congregation, Lutheran group or local chapter of Thrivent Financial experience a life–changing trip. Take the lead and help build a home with a partner family in need of simple, decent, affordable housing.
- Learn more about becoming a team leader.
- Take advantage of the benefits of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans membership.
Make an Even Bigger Impact – Donate Today
Through the Thrivent Builds Worldwide Gulf Coast Community program, Thrivent Financial members are helping families to rebuild their homes – and their lives – in the Missisippi Gulf Coast. But the need is still great:
- Only 15% of the homes along the Gulf Coast destroyed by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina have been rebuilt.
- Thousands of families are still living in unsafe, temporary housing.
- More than 100 families are in the pipeline, waiting for homes with Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Send us Your Story
Have you been part of a Thrivent Builds Worldwide Gulf Coast Community trip? Do you have stories or photos you'd like to share with others? Send them to Nicole Doebert for consideration in future issues of the Gulf Coast Update. We want YOU to share the experience and inspire others to help!
Gulf Coast Update Archive
If you would like to read previous issues of the Gulf Coast Update, simply access the Gulf Coast Update Archive from this link or from the left navigation bar.