DC Habitat for Humanity’s Executive Director, Carol Casperson, took off for India on October 26 to join more than 4,000 other volunteers for the 2006 Jimmy Carter Work Project near Lonavala, India.

Carol will to work alongside former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn building 100 homes. This is Habitat’s 23rd annual Jimmy Carter Work Project.

The Habitat homes will be built in partnership with low-income families who currently live in dilapidated and temporary housing. In rural areas of India, houses are often poor quality, made of mud, grass, leaves, reeds and cardboard. In contrast, typical Habitat houses in India are made of concrete block with tile roofs. The houses range in size from 240 to 360 square feet with a living room, veranda, kitchen and toilet.

Look for Carol's photos from her trip in the next issue of our newsletter.

Go Mama Go! sidewalk sale October 14th and 15th.

Noi Chudnoff, owner of Go Mama Go!, a chic U Street Corridor shop specializing in decorator gift items and tableware, donated merchandise for an open-air gift sale benefiting DC Habitat for Humanity. DC Habitat raised more than $2,500 at the two day event. Plus, Go Mama Go! donated $1,000 from its sales for the weekend. Thanks to the volunteers who clerked for the temporary shop, to John Chudnoff who hauled boxes, tables and a tent for our use, to all of the generous shoppers, and especially to Noi for her bigheartedness and generosity.

• Photo: Noi Chudnoff, owner of Go Mama Go! (center), with DC Habitat Executive Director, Carol Casperson (right) and a shopper.

Barracks Row Fest September 16th and the NBC 4 Connected Expo September 16th and 17th.

Participation in street fairs, festivals and trade shows is a great way to help people understand Habitat’s mission and work. DC Habitat's PR Committee attends these events and hosts fun occasions like Happy Hours. T-shirt sales and donations make the events doubly valuable. Thanks to all of the volunteers who gave part of their weekend to help DC Habitat.

If you are interested in volunteering at events like this, e-mail Rob Sheehan at robshee@yahoo.com.

Environmental Committee at Green Festival October 14 – 15

More than 25,000 people flocked to the DC Green Festival, co-sponsored by Global Exchange and Co-op America, to sample organic food, shop for fair- trade products, listen to presentations about environmentally friendly innovations, and learn about DC Habitat for Humanity.

Environmental Committee volunteers shared information with Festival attendees about DC Habitat’s green building efforts, including building two Green Homes, installing Energy Star appliances in our houses, “Operation Caulk,” educating homebuyers about lowering their energy bills and restoring a park. DC Habitat appreciated the opportunity to share our mission, network with local socially and environmentally conscious business, and enjoy a weekend of good, green fun!

If you are interested in joining the committee or in how DC Habitat for Humanity is greening our 53-home community in Northeast DC, e-mail Jeff Farley at azdownboy@gmail.com.

From October 16-20, a quarter of Freddie Mac's local workforce rolled up their sleeves during work hours to help revitalize and transform a Ward 7 neighborhood during the company's Making a Community (MAC) Week. During the week, volunteers framed four new homes and built almost a dozen tool sheds for existing Habitat homeowners. Volunteers also helped build an amphitheater stage and an exercise course in the adjacent Marvin Gaye Park.

Ralph Boyd, Freddie Mac's Executive Vice President, Community Relations, served as master of ceremonies throughout the week, welcoming dignitaries including Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC); Vincent C. Gray, Councilmember, Ward 7; and Eugene McQuade, President, Freddie Mac. The H.D. Woodson High School Marching Band and Nalle Elementary School Drum Line added to the festivities. Several families whose homes were being framed were on hand to thank the volunteers for a truly indescribable gift.

MAC Week is part of a larger, continuing effort to help restore one of the DC area's most neglected and underserved communities into a livable, healthy community that provides new opportunities for growth and learning. The volunteer contributions of Freddie Mac employees, coupled with Freddie Mac's $309,000 contribution and a $56,000 grant from Freddie Mac Foundation, help advance DC Habitat for Humanity's extensive redevelopment work that began in the area over five years ago.

On September 23rd, Bank of America kicked off a series of Team Building days at our 53-home community in Northeast DC. Bank of America’s $142,000 donation sponsors one of the homes we hope to dedicate before the end of the year.

Bank of America believes that just as a mason builds the foundation for a chimney, a wall, or the side of a house, so neighborhoods form the foundation of the communities in which Bank of America does business. Individuals, and the organizations comprising these neighborhoods, are crucial to maintaining a healthy, vibrant community. They are putting this philosophy to work building a better community in partnership with DC Habitat for Humanity.

US Airways/America West Airlines inaugurated its first ever partnership with DC Habitat for Humanity on October 13th, when they sent the “Do Crew” for a Team Building Day at our Northeast DC construction site.

US Airways invests in community organizations and initiatives to enhance the quality of life in the airline’s hub markets and focus cities of Boston, Charlotte, Las Vegas, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Washington, DC.

US Airways is committed to arts and culture, health and human services, and education and that commitment is reflected through annual financial and travel donations on behalf of US Airways' giving programs and foundations. DC Habitat for Humanity is grateful for US Airways/America West Airlines’ $50,000 contribution.

Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Everyone wants to feel valued.

Traditional team-building conferences and retreats are fine, but they don’t offer you and your staff the innovative and gratifying experience you get from a Team Build day with DC Habitat for Humanity.

Move your team out of its comfort zone for a day of unique interaction that will provide the framework for individual accomplishment and support team development objectives.

On our construction site, your staff will be required to use atypical communication strategies and decision-making skills that are outside of the usual skills base they use in the office environment.

A day with DC Habitat for Humanity will challenge each team member to make a personal commitment to be the best they can be.

Working together on completely unfamiliar tasks and in uncommon groupings, they gain skills like:

• Increasing reciprocal trust and support
• Functioning as a unified team
• Developing effective leaders that others want to follow
• Keeping people focused under stress
• Increasing team spirit and camaraderie
• Opening the lines of communication
• Developing support systems that help team members to stretch their comfort zones
• Recognizing and rewarding incremental successes in order to achieve the desired end
• Maintaining a optimism toward progress, change, and teamwork
• Remaining flexible and advocating productive change

The $5,000 donation for a Team Building day with DC Habitat for Humanity is substantially less than the cost of hiring consultants and renting a hotel conference room for a day. And it is tax-deductible!

Your company’s interest in partnering with DC Habitat shows that it understands the important impact we are having on Washington, DC and the value of corporate participation in changing our community for the better.

Whether you choose a weekday, to give your staff an in-service day, or a Saturday, your staff will come away from their day with DC Habitat for Humanity knowing they have accomplished something important for themselves, your company and the community.

Work days normally begin at 8:30 AM and end at 4:30 PM, with a break for lunch. The sponsoring company typically provides boxed lunches, cold drinks and bottled water for their volunteer teams. Over lunch, you have an opportunity to speak to your staff about your company’s goals and the goals of your day with Habitat. You may design a team building day that fits the needs of your people.

Volunteers may raise the house frame, build roof trusses, put up siding, hang dry wall, paint, or do any number of construction jobs, depending on the phase of construction the house is in on your build day and each volunteer’s level of ability. Volunteers receive training before beginning their tasks and supervision throughout the day. Our staff construction supervisors are experienced at training and working with people with no prior construction experience and make it a rewarding and enjoyable experience for all participants.

On build days, you may provide unlimited banners, posters and other graphics to take best advantage of photo opportunities. Sponsors are listed on our popular web site, www.dchabitat.org and in our print and electronic newsletters.

As a team building exercise, working together to build a DC Habitat home can’t be beat. To schedule a Team Building day, contact Nancy Eddy at nancy.eddy@dchabitat.org or call her at 202- 882-4600 ext. 224. To discuss corporate contributions and house sponsorships contact Mary Phelan at mary.phelan@dchabitat.org or call her at 202-882-4600 ext. 225.

A gift in honor of a friend or loved one is a timeless and thoughtful gift that will be appreciated today and will keep giving for years to come.

To make a gift in honor of someone, click on the photo.

Or, mail your check and the following information to DC Habitat, PO Box 43565, Washington DC 20010:

Include your name and address AND the name and address of the person you are honoring.

A card (no gift amount is mentioned) will be sent informing the recipient of your generous gesture.

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