Story number 4 for 14 Feb 2003

(USA)–Meanwhile, Habitat For Humanity will honor a former president of the United States by putting up 35 houses in one week in his name. Its all part of the Jimmy Carter Work Project, an annual event designed to provide more then just a quality home. “People think that Habitat is just houses and that’s it. But what I have seen in so many families is that children will do better in school. The parents will often time go back and go more education themselves, or a better paying job or a promotion.” Dina Van Ekris is the Executive Director of Habitat in Calhoun County, Georgia. “It’s just amazing to see that kind of reaction in people. We don’t want people to stay where they are we want them to be able to go and do better and break any cycles that they have grown up in.” This is the 20th year of the program and tens of thousands of volunteers have participated since its inception. The work of Habitat for Humanity is driven to express the love of God by eliminating poverty housing and homelessness worldwide.