If you head over to 4th Avenue’s page you’ll see new pictures on all the work that has gone into the house. Pretty cool! We’re also continuing work on the Atlantic house and looking for a family to call the house their own. We’re getting closer and closer to our Women’s Build house on 13th St. and two more houses on 11th Ave. And, we just got a lot in Carter Lake that is now on the list. Never a dull moment around here – and we love it!

And, last but not least, we are less than one week away from our Bowl-O-Rama fundraiser. The exciting event happens on Sunday, July 19, at Lightning Bowl. For more information, call the office, check our website, or check the front page of yesterday’s (7-12-09) Daily Nonpareil. We hope to see everyone there – it will be a BLAST!

Ave. M and the house in Atlantic are on the last leg of constuction. But, the biggest news right now is that we have poured the foundation and put up walls at 2550 4th Ave. The roof is in the works, and everything is looking great! The crew from First Christian Church did an awesome job last Saturday. Check back in a few days for pictures.

Jennifer Gutierrez and sons Rudy Gutierrez (right) and Hasani Smith speak to the group who gathered for the blessing of her future home. Photo Courtesy of the Daily Nonpareil

 Family and friends of future homeowner Jennifer G, family and friends of John McDonald and Creighton University students and faculty gathered on a cold, snowy Saturday morning for 1417 Ave M’s Ground Blessing Ceremony.

Habitat for Humanity would like to thank all of those people who helped make this ceremony and lunch a wonderful event. 

When asked what they were most excited to do when they first moved into their new home, Martie responded by saying, “To sit down and have a family dinner with my husband and children, due to the lack of space and no way to cook a family dinner where we currently are living, our family unit and stability has been so disrupted, this is one thing I miss the most.”

The family has so graciously shared a photo of them sitting down to enjoy a family dinner in their new home.  Thank you to all the volunteers, Council Bluffs Lutheran Churches and Thrivent for making this dream possible.  We wish the Chauvin Family continued success and many family dinners together. 

The Chauvin's enjoying a family dinner in their new Habitat house.

Millard Fuller - Photo Courtesy of The Atlanta Journal Constitution Joey Ivansco

February 3, 2009

Dear Habitat for Humanity partners,

Habitat for Humanity is deeply saddened by the death of Millard Fuller, the visionary whose ideas and tireless work created Habitat for Humanity. 

Mr. Fuller led Habitat from its founding in 1976 until his separation from the organization and his founding of the Fuller Center for Housing in 2005. He died early today, Feb. 3, following a brief illness. He was 74.

“Millard Fuller was a force of nature who turned a simple idea into an international organization that has helped more than 300,000 families move from deplorable housing into simple, decent homes they helped build and can afford to buy and live in,” said Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International. “The entire Habitat family mourns the loss of our founder, a true giant in the affordable housing movement.  Our prayers are with the entire Fuller family.”

The idea for Habitat for Humanity was born at Koinonia Farm, a Christian farming community founded in 1942 in rural southwest Georgia to be a “demonstration plot for the Kingdom of God.” Millard and Linda Fuller made their way to that demonstration plot in 1965.

By the time Millard Fuller turned 29, he had earned his first million dollars as an entrepreneur and attorney. But as his finances flourished, his health and marriage crumbled. To save their marriage, the Fullers decided to begin anew. They sold all that they owned, gave the money to the poor and in their searching, landed at Koinonia where they began soaking up the teachings of farmer, theologian and community founder Clarence Jordan.

In time, Jordan and Fuller launched a program of “partnership housing,” building simple houses in partnership with rural neighbors who were too poor to qualify for conventional home loans. The first house was dedicated in 1969 and others soon followed. In 1973, the Fullers took the concept of partnership housing to Africa. Within a few years, simple concrete-block homes were replacing unhealthy mud-and-thatch homes … and Millard Fuller had a bold idea: If partnership housing could improve lives in Georgia and Zaire, why not the rest of the world?

In 1976, the Fullers returned to the United States and launched Habitat for Humanity International. By the organization’s 25^th anniversary, tens of thousands of people were volunteering with Habitat and more than 500,000 people were living in Habitat homes.

Millard Fuller was a prolific writer, authoring 10 books. He had received more than 50 honorary degrees and in 1996 received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. In presenting the medal, President Bill Clinton said, “Millard Fuller has done as much to make the dream of homeownership a reality in our country and throughout the world as any living person.” Jack Kemp, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former HFHI board member agreed, adding, “When I’m asked about housing success stories from our inner cities, the first group that comes to mind is Habitat for Humanity.”

Among numerous other awards, Fuller was named to the National Housing Hall of Fame and had received the World Changer Award, the World Methodist Peace Award, the Norman Vincent Peale Award, the John W. Gardner Leadership Award and the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award.

“Millard Fuller’s drive and relentless commitment to affordable housing captured people’s imagination and changed lives around the world,” said J. Ronald Terwilliger, chair of Habitat for Humanity’s International Board of Directors. “His inspiration lives on in Habitat’s work and through its employees, volunteers, partner families and supporters.  We extend our sincere condolences to the Fuller family and are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.” 

For each home built in Council Bluffs there are two more homes built in Mexico.  

We thought it would be nice to share some of their information with all of you. 

Habitat for Humanity International started working in Mexico in 1987.  Work began in the States of Chihuahua and Hidalgo.  HFH Mexico will celebrate their 20 anniversary this year.  3,947 families were served at the end of June 2008. 

Below are some examples of homes built in Mexico.  There are 21 local Habitat offices in 16 Sates of the Mexican Republic. 

This home was built in the State of Oaxaca.

This home was built in the Mezquital Valley.

- Thank you to the Mall of the Bluffs for loaning us the great space. 

- Thank you to Iowa Western Community College CASS Students who volunteered over 300 hours wrapping gifts. 

- Thank you to Iowa Western Community College Service Learning Department who provided transportation for the students volunteering.

- Thank you to all of you shoppers who had their gifts wrapped and donated to a great cause.

We truly appreciated the support this holiday season.  Thank you for making it such a success!

Habitat for Humanity is asking in return that you make a donation.  All proceeds will go directly into building more home in Council Bluffs.  We have made a suggested donation list based on the size of the gift.

For more information, visit our website at www.HabitatCB.org and click on Holiday Gift Wrapping.  Please tell all your family and friends. 

We will have the following gift wrapping hours:

• Saturday, December 13 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, December 14 – 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monday, December 15 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 16 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 17 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Thursday, December 18 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Friday, December 19 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Saturday, December 20 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, December 21 – 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monday, December 22 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 23 – 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 24 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The contestants this year are Chamber of Commerce CEO Bob Mundt; State Representative Doug Struyk; Lynn Manhart with the Council Bluffs Fire Department; Matt Schultz, local attorney and Council Bluffs City Council member; Scott Hartman with US Bank; Jason Bardsley with the Iowa State Highway Patrol and Crescent Volunteer Firefighter Jim Campin.

6 p.m. social time, 6:30 p.m. dinner and contest

Harrah’s Ballroom, Council Bluffs, Iowa

Tickets: $40 each or reserved tables of 10 for $500