October 26, 2006

Johnson County Firefighters Build

       All ten fire departments in Johnson County are coming together for a joint project to help a family in need of decent, affordable housing.  The endeavor, coined the "Johnson County Firefighters Build", is slated to get underway in earnest sometime next year.  The effort is currently in the early stages of fundraising, management organization, asset allocation, and timeline development.  The overall project is being coordinated with the Johnson County affiliate of Habitat for Humanity.

         Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry.  Habitat for Humanity seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.  Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need.

         Since 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1,000,000 people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.  Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit, financed with affordable loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.

          Johnson County firefighters need to raise at least $46,000 in donations in order to begin building, which is currently slated to start in late 2007.  The goal is to have the sponsor family in the Habitat home in time for Christmas, 2007.  Throughout the coming months, various fundraisers will be sponsored in an effort to raise both awareness and dollars for the project.  In the meantime, if you wish to volunteer or make a donation toward this project, contact Lieutenant Mark Williams from the White River Township Fire Department by clicking HERE.  T-shirts (seen in the photos below) are also on sale with proceeds going toward the project.  They may be purchased online by clicking HERE.  More information regarding the Habitat for Humanity project will be posted here as events are scheduled.  Donations may also be dropped off at any Johnson County fire station.
 

  
(Click on a thumbnail to enlarge photo)

  

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