April 11, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. - The Western Kentucky University Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity students will raise their voices in a weeklong advocacy campaign during Habitat for Humanity’s Act! Speak! Build! Week 2007.
Daily activities have been organized from April 16 to April 22 to highlight the need to eliminate substandard housing and to create affordable housing opportunities.
As part of this year’s theme, “What a Difference a Home Makes,” WKU Habitat for Humanity will be hosting numerous events. One of the main events will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 19, in which the Campus Chapter will host guest speaker Sarah Smith from Habitat International. Smith has a history of working for Americorps and currently works in the Youth Programs Department at Habitat for Humanity International. Smith will speak in Grise Hall Auditorium and will address the issue of homelessness in America and what we can do to make a difference.
Act! Speak! Build! Week will culminate with a group Build Day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at the Centennial Build House. The house at 433 W. Main St. has been under construction since fall of 2006. This house is the first house that the Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity has fully fundraised and built. This building event will allow students to come together and finally see how their actions can make a difference in addressing the issue of homelessness.
“This week of awareness events will draw attention to a topic that is rarely addressed on a college campus; that of homelessness,” said Dana Adams, Campus Chapter president.
Across the country, more than 220 youth groups will participate in Act! Speak! Build! Week. Outside of the United States, advocacy events will be held in Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Hong Kong, Gabon and Peru.
Act! Speak! Build! Week is one of the many methods Habitat’s Youth Programs department uses to engage youth around the world in Habitat’s mission to provide simple, decent homes. State Farm® is the 2007 underwriter for Habitat’s Youth Programs department.
About Western Kentucky University Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity
The Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity works under the Bowling Green/Warren County Habitat for Humanity affiliate to spread the word about Habitat. The Campus Chapter has been around for four years. During their four years, they have taken numerous Habitat build trips, raised funds for Katrina relief, and are in the process of building their first Habitat home. At the end of the school year the group will take their first international trip to Nayarit, Mexico.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in Americus, Ga., in 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact Jessica Tinnell at (502) 905-4760 or habitat@wku.edu.
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