IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO BE A PART OF HABITAT'S 2007 JIMMY CARTER WORK PROJECT

That's right, the crowds, the news cameras and former president Jimmy Carter may be gone, but there is still a great deal of work to complete so that our 30 Habitat partner families can move into their new homes.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles need skilled workers and craftsmen to help us with plumbing, electrical and more. Please volunteer now by calling our office at 310-323-4663 or emailing volunteers@habitatla.org.

We also need non-trained volunteers too! There is much to do by way of painting, landscaping and more. You've never had so much fun swinging a hammer!

All help is welcome.

What can you expect when you volunteer? Smiles. Lots and lots of smiles. You'll arrive and get a safety briefing, meet your crew leaders and be assigned to a home/job. We promise you'll leave with a feeling you can't shake, it's called Habititis and it's contageous.

Please call or email us now to volunteer. For more info, please visit our website.

Veteran JCWP builder Tom, shares his wisdom with newbies!

Tom Dickinson was the 6A house leader at the San Pedro site whose advice to people wanting to get involved with JCWP is: "just come, get involved. You don’t need the know-how!" Tom is a Habitat For Humanity veteran who started volunteering for the Jimmy Carter Work Project in 1992 in DC; this years project was his sixteenth. Tom currently lives in Springfield, Virginia and volunteers with the Habitat affiliate there.
Tom’s favorite part of each Jimmy Carter Work Project is taking a quiet moment on a roof when all of the work is completed to survey the area. He said that being a small part of the end result and seeing a big sea of houses and knowing that he is helping towards changing people’s lives is what makes the biggest impact on him.

Today a Publicist, Tomorrow a Builder!

This was my first Jimmy Carter Work Project, and I can hardly believe it’s already over. What a week!

Although my work at JCWP was focused on external outreach about the project to media and the community, being immersed in the positive nature and attitudes of the nearly 2,200 volunteers was an experience I will never forget. And, I can’t wait to go pick up a hammer and a paint brush at a Habitat build in the future.

Ever the publicist, I cannot help but mention some of the highlights from the week on the media side:
o CNN “American Morning”
o Reuters wire story
o NPR story (people are still talking about this one!)
o Los Angeles Times story with photographs
o Broadcast coverage by every local station in Los Angeles throughout the week, sometimes multiple stories
o Stories in communities newspapers from the Daily Breeze to the Wave
o AP wire pick-up of eight photos
o Live remote newscasts by KCAL-TV and KCBS-TV in Los Angeles
o An unbelievably successful satellite media tour
o And, anticipated coverage by many more newspapers

Thank you to all the families, volunteers and Habitat for Humanity employees for putting together an amazing event that made a very positive impact on the community in Los Angeles and made for a fabulous way to highlight the organization.

Pink Tool Belts

A lot of you expressed interest in purchasing those cute pink Tuff Chix Tool Belts by Paige Hemmis that many of the gals were sporting during the JCWP, so here's a link to purchase:

BUY NOW

Hope you put it to good use!

Bill Ponko puts his skills into action at the JCWP

Bill Ponko got his start with HFH in 1991 on a build in Miami. Through the years he has been to multiple Jimmy Carter Work Projects, and also works with his local affiliate in South Bend Indiana. Bill is a Professor of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame and participating in build sites gives him the opportunity to combine all of the things he loves to do. He gets to combine his hobby with his profession and “really accomplish something”

Bill and his friend Leroy build together often, but Bill also likes to involve his own family. Both of his children are architects and he made a point of getting them involved with Habitat for Humanity as soon as they were old enough. For Bill all of his Habitat experiences are unique and amazing. This year he was lucky enough to be on the house that President Carter and Rosalynn worked on in San Pedro. His favorite part? “There are no pretences, no one is dressed-up, nobody is pretending. I feel so fortunate to be involved with this house.”

Tom Gerdy: A Strong Softy

If you walked onto the San Pedro JCWP site any time last week you either heard Tom Gerdy rallying his house team or you saw his huge smile. Check out his blog today at Huffington Post!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-gerdy/the-magical-sound-of-gunf_b_71338.html

Karen Evan's doesn't TRY she DOES

Karen Evans was the paint crew leader on the All-Womens house this year, and her experiences with Habitat for Humanity have changed her life. She truly believes that this house has created an opportunity for women to extend themselves, she loves watching her fellow team thrive in this challenge as well as seeing the confidence they are all gaining from being involved with the Torres house.

Karen has now been to 3 JCWP’s. “You give, and you get back ten-fold” she said of the blitz-build events. Like so many people, Karen has developed life-long friendships while working at the JCWP. “My first roommate in Georgia in 2003 has now been my roommate at every build I have done since then. She’s from Canada and I’m from San Diego, but we are very good friends now.” Karen is eager to get others to join the Habitat for Humanity family. She tries to get people interested. “I wear my HFH pins and I try to get people to ask me questions about it. Everybody says, ‘Oh I wish I could do this’[when thinking of volunteering], and I tell them that you can! You either do or you don’t. The people who turn out year in and year out they are the do’ers”

Paige Hemmis Shares Her Personal Experience from JCWP 2007

What an amazing experience! This year I was fortunate enough to be the emcee of opening ceremonies for Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy Carter Work Project 2007. What an honor and privilege to be on stage with such talented people! I would love to share with you my experience, and perhaps it is best told with the company that I kept on stage on that beautiful Sunday night.

First of all, I met our first guest of the evening, Grammy Award-winning artist and Habitat volunteer, Ricky Martin. I didn’t know much about this man, except for the fact that I new he could compose, sing, dance and perform. What I didn’t realize was that he was so passionate about his charities, and is such a good public speaker! I was blown away by the heart-felt sentiment he had for Habitat and this program. He talked about how giving was a form of love – and it really is.

Second, I met Mr. Steve Sidwell, and the Hollywood Film Chorale Special Effects Choir. Steve and his crew performed for the Academy Awards this past year, and they performed for all of us that night. This choir astounded me! They took footage of building and put their special effect sounds to it. What amazed me is how real it sounded! I was surrounded by true talent up there on stage, and they even made me participate towards the end. I now am an official “beat-boxer”, if that is such a term.

Each person who took the stage was just as amazing as the next! Erin Rank, the head of the Greater Los Angeles Affiliate, whom I’ve worked with several times in the past, amazes me every time I hear her speak. Here is a woman who has dedicated her life to helping others, and always finds time to go out of her way and be kind to everyone. She made sure that everyone who helped was properly thanked…but I believe that we should all be thanking her for all the incredible work she has done, and continues to do every single day.

Mr. Kevin Kessinger from Citi came to the stage to talk about the involvement of one of Habitat’s biggest sponsors. It is so touching to see that large companies like Citi have hearts as big as this! And he represented so many great men and women that have come together to help this great event.

Then I had the opportunity to introduce the President and CEO of Habitat International, Mr. Jonathan Reckford. He could possibly be the best representation of giving! What a kind a gentle man, with a tremendous responsibility. As I meet more and more people who are behind this great charity, it makes me realize that I am surrounded by truly great individuals who are using their God-given talents to help others.

And talk about being surrounded by great individuals! The people who make this city of Los Angeles what it is today are so inspiring and so incredible. First, there is the true “tuff chix”, Councillwoman Janice Hahn. She is one of my heroes – a true example of a strong woman who is so caring, so kind, and so capable of taking care of all of us! She was out working at the job site in her pink toolbelt, gloves and hard hat! She is so awesome. Then, there is the great man, Mayor Villairagosa. You can tell by his spirit and his touching words that he loves this great town, and will do everything he can to help its people.

The final honor of the night? Perhaps one of the great honors of my lifetime – being hugged by the great man, former US President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, President Jimmy Carter, right there on stage! He has done so much in his lifetime. He is truly a man that we can all look up to and hope to emulate. I believe he is the best humanitarian of our time. And his wife Rosalynn right there beside him that night, as she has been for so many years. An honest example of true love, dedication, and devotion – plus she is such a great strong women in her own right!

For me, this night was a dream come true. To call it an “honor” does not do it justice! I was filled with honor and love, humbly sharing the stage with so many great people. I believe it was a blessing, and this blessing will leave a wonderful memory for the rest of my life.

More JCWP Headlines

As seen in Palos Verdes Peninsula News 11/5/07:

‘There goes the neighborhood’

Monday, November 5, 2007 1:08 PM PST

The headline once meant the imminent decline of a once desirable place to live. It takes on a positive spin when Habitat for Humanity blows into town and 36 folks from the Hill help. turn out to help.

By Frank Brown, Peninsula News

Habitat for Humanity, led by Nobel Peace Prize-winner and former President Jimmy Carter, stormed into San Pedro this week with hundreds of volunteers bent on making life better for some families who live on the margins of society. A number of Peninsulans worked side by side with the hundreds of volunteers who began each day at 7 a.m. and worked late into the afternoon for a week.

Help from Hill

Peninsulan Jim Scrimger said that Habitat’s preliminary numbers noted that three Peninsula cities provided 36 volunteers: Rancho Palos, 23; Palos Verdes Estates, 9; Rolling Hills Estates, 4 and Rolling Hills, 1.

Nearly one in five of Los Angeles County’s 10 million residents live in poverty. The median cost of a home today far exceeds the majority of its population’s reach.

Income needed

A week ago, the Los Angeles Times headlined the fact that the average family in this metropolis must have an income of $64,000 annually to live in this part of Southern California.

Overseas help

Among the volunteers working beside Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, were men and women from as far away as Seoul, Korea, and as near as the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The Carters spent their days working in a home at the end of the development labeled simply as the Vicenio family.

The Vicenio home is one of 30 Habitat homes being built on two sites in Los Angeles and part of 100 homes abuilding or being rehabilitated by Habitat before the end of the year.

J.H. Moon from Seoul, one of many from Citi Corp, is the house leader on unit 5-B, which was nothing but a bare spot on the ground last week. His company paid round-trip fares for him, team member Dave Kaltenrieder from St. Louis, and Cynthia Ryan from Madison, Wisc., to work with the other Habitat volunteers. When asked what happens with his daytime job while he’s away, Kaltenrieder said, “I take my job with me,” fishing a Blackberry out of his pocket.

Moon said he’s not too bothered by his office because, “While I’m working here, they’re asleep in Seoul.” With an MBA in business from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Moon probably can manage both time zones, his volunteer time away and his job back home.

Hill people help

Not all the workers are from out of town or out of the country. Stacey Allocco of Rolling Hills had a nanny take care of her 4-month old daughter so she herself could pitch in. Allocco was assigned to “A Brush With Kindness” project for which workers help restore the neglected exteriors of homes in the immediate area to their original state.

Bill Pomerantz of Rolling Hills Estates, no stranger to Habitat, compared the L.A. County restrictions with those of other states.

“Building codes here are very strict,” he said. “The plans they follow here are highly detailed and voluminous. When I was in South Dakota, we were handed a sketch of what we were supposed to build. Nevertheless, we finished the job and when I said we were ready for inspection, I was told, ‘We don’t do any inspections.’”

Overkill pays

Pomerantz said that one of his favorite Habitat stories happened in Florida. “After a hurricane knocked down Homewood many of the houses left standing were Habitat homes.” Pomerantz explained that while an ordinary carpenter will hammer in a single nail, “Habitat’s will knock in eight.”

Churches help too

Dr. Clayton Cobb of St. Peter’s by the Sea cited the work of his parish and others in raising $160,000 for the Habitat project.

“Jean McDonald,” he said, “has both passion and compassion. She and others from St. Peter’s, St. Luke’s and the South Bay raised the money for what we call not the Presbyterian but ‘the Sanchez’ home.”



Photo: Painting the Future Jean McDonald, right, touches up some of the exterior paint on the home of Mercedes Sanchez, who is performing some of the 500 sweat equity hours required of each occupant 16 years of age and older. McDonald also put the touch on parishioners at St. Peter’s by the Sea parish, St. Luke’s and other South Bay parishes and led a fund-raising effort that raised more than $160,000.

Hey Bill!

If you did not meet Vermont Village house leader 'Hey Bill' this past week then you totally missed out!

Bill has been volunteering with Habitat since 1984 and was at the very first JCWP in New York in 1984. He drove from DC to cut boilers in the basement and he and his friend Jim became known as the "Boiler Boys." The only JCWPs Bill ever missed was The Phillipines & India.

It's going really well! I think this is the most media attention we've ever had and going from 42 people that first year to volunteers worldwide is just mind-boggling!"

Bill adds that the plus side to this whole thing is that now he has 25 families!

"At Christmas I look up at the sky and thank God for the opportunity to put a roof over their heads."

"Hey Bill" you're awesome!

(He spoke quickly with us and went back to work!)

JCWP A Reunion with Old Friends

Susie Graber of Phoenix, AZ is proudly wearing her '95 JCWP T-shirt today as she guards the tool pods here at the Vermont Village build site. Susie and her husband have been attending JCWPs since 1988 and have traveled to the Phillipines, Nova Scotia, and Budapest.

Susie proudly mentions that her husband has been the house leader with Jimmy Carter on four different JCWPs. Lasting friendships come again during our conversation and Susie tells us about a couple from New Jersey whom they met years ago on a JCWP and whom they now travel with each year, sometimes in their RV. She has made so many friends over the years that she says the JCWP always feels like a reunion.

"It's is a very rewarding experience to help others. The lord has blessed us so much and we figure we can give back a week or two each year. It's worth it."

If you are not already friends with Susis Graber, you can meet her next May in the Gulf for the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project 2008!

Birthday Present for these two ladies was working at JCWP

Through wind & rain, sleet or snow, blazing heat or bitter cold, Habitat will be there. Ok, so this week there wasn’t much rain, sleet, snow and the cold was only bitter during closing ceremonies, but Habitat was still here building away and so were we. Amber and I have been bff's since college and since our birthdays are only a week a part, we have celebrated them together every year since graduation no matter where we are living.

Here’s a little info on who we are, because we know you care.

Terri Ellen Waddell
# of Habitat Builds: Stopped Counting
Current Occupation: Is anyone hiring???? I used to work for Habitat Int’l
Favorite Color: Dirt on skin
Hard Hat Size: 7 ¼
Where she resides: Currently, anywhere she can find a friend with an open couch.
Favorite build site activity: drywall
Age: 26 & 364 days

Amber Leigh Skorczewski
# of Habitat: 3
Current Occupation: Marketing for Target Corporation
Favorite Color: Lip gloss with SPF
Hard Hat Size: 6 7/8
Where she sleeps: St Paul Minnesota. Amber just bought her first Home!!!!
Favorite Build site activity: Siding
Age: 26 & 7 days


When we heard that JCWP 2007 would fall during the week between our birthdays it seemed to be the only option for this year’s trip. We mean, what better way to celebrate another year of life than with former President Jimmy Carter, his wife Rosalynn and about two thousand strangers building houses in LA? If you and your bff had birthdays only a week a part from one another wouldn’t you want to do the same thing?
Off to our computers we went to get ourselves registered. Guess what… we were selected, so we jumped on a plane and flew out to LA to join the party.
Upon arriving we were assigned to “Media”. At first we felt a little bummed that we wouldn’t have a chance to wield a hammer or cut some siding, but it turns out that our assignment would give us a chance to not only check out both sights, but also do a million other super cool things. Check out some of our highlights below:

•Practicing our stern face. Which if you meet Amber, you know is for her.

•Sharing a laugh with former Mayor James Hahn while standing in line for opening ceremonies. If only we had known who he was while we were chatting with him.

•Getting secret service to crack a couple of smiles. We thought the stern face was one of the job requirements.

•Chilling with D.B. “ay papi, we luv u”

•Learning dance moves from 4 year old Kelis, She will soon be living in one of the homes that you all have been working so hard to construct.

•And many more that we are happy to tell you about next year in the Gulf.

We would like to give shout outs to the following who helped make our week even more memorable:

Emily & Sara and the rest of the Golin Haris Girls and guy, Little B, the bomb diggidy PR gal

Nancy & Carolyne (Pres. Carter’s right hand ladies)

All the Secret Service Men who got the memo on matching polos. #1 & #2 U guys ROCK

M&M of the Philly Soul- till we meet again

Dustin the bouncer at the door, we cant believe you made a walk up the hill so many times
Billy AKA Cookie Monster
Tom, if you ever need someone to touch your toes Amber is your girl
And of course all of the other volunteers, staff, and everyone else who helped make this event happen

As we drove to the sight this morning Amber, with her cheesey Hallmark emotional self turned to me and said that she had had a great birthday week. She said “ “This is the kind of present I really like--- they’re like memories, you can’t put a bow on that”

Thank you all and super special thank you to the homeowners for allowing us the chance to share this amazing time with you all. Blessings

See you all in the Gulf-
Terri and Amber

Jennika picks up her first HFH paint brush

Jennika volunteered during the last day of the JCWP, but she believes that it was an experience that she will never forget. It introduced her into the world of volunteering, and she got to understand why so many people love to volunteer! People love the feeling they get when they help others, and Jennika was no exception.

"I didn't really understand the full intensity of "habititus" before i volunteered for the JCWP. Its an indescribable feeling; a high that one gets from helping others. I wasn't sure that i was going to have a chance to volunteer because i was working as an intern for Starfish PR (who does PR for Habitat). But, when i found myself with some time, i decided to jump in and help because I didn't want to leave the site that day without at least picking up a paint brush. I worked up on the roof (of San Pedro house 6A), painting the front exterior siding; around me were big strong men. I was surprised how nice everyone was; they were all interested in getting to know me. Even though i only put in about 3 hours of volunteer time, that was long enough to catch "habititus." I will never forget my experience at JCWP 2007, and i look forward to volunteering in future projects!"

Today's JCWP Media Highlights

Reuters:
Push to build "green" homes picks up steam
Thu Nov 1, 2007 7:11pm GMT
By Karen Jacobs

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Soaring energy costs and increased concern about the environment are spurring builders to step up building homes that use less energy and water.

More than 30 affordable homes being built this week during a Habitat for Humanity project in Los Angeles include materials designed to reduce energy costs and save the new homeowners money.

"Green building certainly is becoming more mainstream within the affordable housing community," said Ted Bardacke, senior program associate with Global Green USA, an environmental group that works with housing developers.

Read the entire story:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKN0147473220071101


Pasadena Weekly:
Helping Humanity
By Carl Kozlowski

Former President Jimmy Carter has long focused his considerable energies on alleviating poverty and promoting electoral justice around the globe in addition to building homes for the poor through Habitat for Humanity.
Carter is currently leading thousands of volunteers in a massive effort to build 30 affordable houses in south Los Angeles and San Pedro.
The Pasadena-based San Gabriel Valley chapter of Habitat for Humanity has donated $5,000 to help make that goal a reality.
“In conjunction with this special week in Los Angeles with the Jimmy Carter Work Project, we’re launching our construction of 11 homes on Kenwood Street in Glendale and we’re very excited to [be part of] these projects,” said Sonja Yates, San Gabriel Valley Habitat’s executive director.
“Jimmy Carter has been a leader physically on projects, but he’s also a symbolic leader in drawing attention to the 2,250 affiliates around the world that are making a dent in the need for affordable housing,” Yates said.

http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/article.php?id=5299&IssueNum=96


The Acorn:
Habitat for Humanity supports work project


Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County is an official affiliate sponsor of Habitat for Humanity International's 24th annual Jimmy Carter Work Project, which includes a $5,000 commitment to the project. In addition, several of the local affiliates' volunteers will donate their time to the project next week.

Habitat for Humanity's Jimmy Carter Work Project is an annual event in which the former U.S. president and his wife, Rosalynn, join Habitat volunteers for one week to build affordable homes in partnership with people in need of housing.

This year's project is taking place from Oct. 28 to Nov. 2 in South Los Angeles and San Pedro, where volunteers will gather to build 30 new homes and work on the rehabilitation of houses near both sites.

Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County has rehabilitated hundreds of homes and built 44 new homes since its inception in 1983.

For more information, visit www.habitat.org.

http://www.theacorn.com/news/2007/1101/Community/043.html

Safety First

Pat Shea is on our Safety Crew here at Vermont Village and he says this week we've earned a good B+. Not bad.

"Any time you have as many people walk off the job site as you had walk on, it's a good day!"

So far, he says there have just been a few scratches and abrasions to report and everyone is in good spirits.

"Everyone here is so eager to do a good job and they are very concerned about safety. The Block Captains are working very hard to keep our volunteers safe."

Pat has been working with Habitat for 6 months and he's been on site all week for JCWP. He says he's definitely be back!

"One of the things that impresses me most is talking to people who've traveled from all over the country like Dallas and Vermont and the poeple from other countries as well. I feel like the new kid on the block because so many people have been at this for years and years."

Not Just a Pretty Face

Karl Champley is familiar face to anyone who watches DIY Network, but to all of us he's an enthusiastic volunteer who's changing the life of Donna Russell (read her story posted 10/31.)

"I've done a number of Habitat projects over the last five years and the best thing about it is the feeling you get. You take away so much more than you put in."

Karl's first Habitat build included a 1000 home blitz in North Carolina, after that experience, Donna's home has to be a piece of cake!

"This A Brush With Kindness program is such a great thing! I live here in L.A. and this is my first Habitat buid here. Donna working full time and she has very little money for the upkeep of her home, she's faced city fines and needs all the help she can get to keep this house safe. I truly believe that smaller projects can have the largest impact."

Karl is leading a team of volunteers who have been primering and painting, replacing broken and non-existant windows, installed a back door that had been missing for years, and they are even attempting to get a furnace working that's been broken for 15 years! We have no doubt they'll be successful.

"Time is the most expensive thing we have and if you can donate that time to be part of a Habitat build you will walk away with so much more. If it's the only thing you do in your life, you'll grow old with a smile on your face."

A Kid at Heart

Rosemary Le is an active volunteer from Home Depot, one of our wonderful JCWP sponsors, who is having a very productive day. She was working so hard that it took several attempts to approach her.

"I'm having so much fun! Today I am installing siding, I learned how to use the power scissors, a nail gun and the saw!"

As excited Rosemary is about power tools, she's way more excited about the playground she's been coordinating for the children of this neighborhood with Home Depot partner Kaboom.




"Oh I can't wait for it! On December 6 we'll be out here for a six-hour event to construct their playground! People from our stores will be volunteering as well as the kids in this neighborhood who are over 13. The coolest part is that a month ago we had a 'design day' where all the kids helped us design their playground. We are trying our best to incorporate their suggestions into the final design."

Rosemary was building on this day with the Gonzalez family who happen to have 6 kids - which we're positive will love the playground!

After a Bumpy Beginning He's a Habitat Believer!

We had the pleasure of meeting Journeyman/Electrian Walter Berten at the Vermont Village site on Halloween who was out working with IBEW. IBEW is a sponsor of the 2007 JCWP and they are giving us power (well with the help of the DWP.)

"It's my first JCWP and my first Habitat build and it's awesome!"

Walter admits that on his first visit to the job site about a few months ago, he had his concerns. There were some logistics issues but he's happy to say they were all worked out before this week's event.

"It's an honor and a privelidge to be here. I love the feeling of community and the giving spirit.And the families, what can I say, we are one big world family."

Walter lives in Panorama City, CA and he tells us he'll be back..."God willing, I'll be here!"

Bo Knows Habitat

Bo Miller of DOW shares his personal experience...

This is my second Jimmy Carter Work Project, my first being last year at Lonlavala, India. India was an inspiring experience, an extraordinary experience and a motivating experience. While vastly different in many ways there is an underlying similarity to this year's build- "people helping deserving people with a hand up, not a hand out." And I am even more inspired this year, as the Greater LA Habitat build is featuring a number of "green" initiatives into the project, and Dow technology and products, particularly in energy efficient materials such as Weathermate house wrap and Styrofoam brand insulation readily fit into this theme. So in addition to financial support, product donation and the volunteerism of Dow people there will be a lasting contribution to the homeowners of reduced utility bills and an improved environmental footprint of their homes.

On a personal level- we had the opportunity to host our home owner, Barbara Wallace at dinner the other evening with her children, it was a great opportunity to get to know them better and learn of their hopes and aspirations. Seeing her at the job site this week- climbing scaffolding, painting and fully participating with pride in the construction of her home confirmed the fundamental need and benefit of what Habitat for Humanity and all of its volunteers provide individuals and communities worldwide. In the midst of all the activity, while Barbara was taking a much deserved rest break and I asked her how she was doing- she looked at all the people scurrying about and said simply "how could I be better?" Exchanges like these make habitat for humanity real for me.