President and Mrs. Carter Join Hundreds of Habitat for Humanity Volunteers in Haiti to Help Build 100 Homes With Earthquake-Affected Families

LEOGANE, Haiti, Nov. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, President and Mrs. Carter joined more than 500 volunteers from around the world for Habitat for Humanity's 28th annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project.  The weeklong build will help to construct 100 homes in partnership with earthquake-affected families in Leogane, Haiti. The community, which is 18 miles west of Port-au-Prince, is near the epicenter of the Jan. 12, 2010 7.0-magnitude earthquake.

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"When we see the devastation that took place last year, we are compelled to act and are determined to assist the Haitian people rebuild their communities," said President Carter. "Rosalynn and I are grateful to all of the Habitat volunteers and the families in Haiti who will join us in this effort."

The build will take place in the Santo community where Habitat will build a total of 150 core houses this year. An additional 100 houses will be built on the site in 2012. The community will ultimately house 500 families displaced by the 2010 earthquake. The homes will be built in partnership with families currently living in tents and other temporary structures.

"Habitat for Humanity has made a five-year commitment to serve 50,000 Haitian families, and the Carter Work Project will help us to build homes and raise awareness to meet that goal," said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. "We are incredibly appreciative of the Carters and all the volunteers, sponsors and partners whose are joining with us to help families in Haiti rebuild their lives."

The Carters are Habitat for Humanity's most famous volunteers and give a week of their time each year to help Habitat build, renovate or repair homes, and raise awareness about the need for affordable and decent housing. They joined Habitat for Humanity in 1984 to help renovate a decaying building in New York City's Lower East Side. Today, the building is part of a thriving, reinvigorated and dynamic community. Since that first build, the Carters and thousands of volunteers have worked with Habitat for Humanity across the United States and in Mexico, Canada, Hungary, South Africa, South Korea, India, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Laos and Vietnam.

Habitat for Humanity would like to thank the thousands of volunteers, partner families and the following sponsors for this year's Carter Work Project: Delta Air Lines, ArcelorMittal Foundation, Cosette Communication, Inc., The Dow Chemical Company, Habitat for Humanity Canada National Leadership Council, Nissan and countless others.

Habitat's Carter Work Project is the culmination of a month-long observance of the need for safe, decent and affordable shelter that began on World Habitat Day, Oct. 3. Observed annually on the first Monday of October, World Habitat Day is designated by the United Nations as a time to reflect on the dire need for adequate shelter around the globe. Habitat will kick-off the World Habitat Day observance in Washington, D.C., with a focus on rebuilding hope after disasters, highlighting the work in Haiti as an exemplary response to the need for recovery.

About Habitat for Humanity Haiti

Habitat for Humanity has been at work in Haiti for 27 years and has provided housing solutions through a variety of initiatives including new home construction, progressive building, home repairs and improvements. Habitat also builds capacity in construction skills, disaster risk reduction and financial literacy, and works in coordination with community and government agencies.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God's love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat's blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.

SOURCE Habitat for Humanity International