World Habitat Day marks milestone 500,000th home

Rockwall Habitat for Humanity joins worldwide celebration 

Habitat for Humanity marked a major milestone Monday, Oct. 3 when it dedicated its 500,000th house in Maai Mahiu, Kenya, and began construction on its 500,001st house in Paterson, N.J. Volunteers and homeowners from Rockwall Habitat for Humanity joined in celebrating the milestones as part of events held worldwide to mark World Habitat Day.

Rockwall Habitat for Humanity is among the more than 2,300 Habitat affiliates worldwide that have made this milestone possible, having built nearly 30 houses since its founding.

“Our current house is nearly finished on Peter’s Colony and will be dedicated very soon.  We have been very blessed to have Manhattan Construction as a partner on this build providing not only much needed tools and other supplies, but also volunteering of their time on numerous occasions and jobs,” said Wendy Buford, Rockwall Habitat for Humanity President.

The milestone houses represent the steady increase in Habitat for Humanity’s scale and scope to help more families in need of decent, affordable housing. In 2005, Habitat celebrated its 200,000th house. Six years later, Habitat for Humanity has more than doubled that number through new, rehabilitated, repaired and improved homes.

“It is a testament to the power of what God can do when people come together to build homes, communities and hope,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “I am so grateful to all of the volunteers, donors and advocates who share our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”

In Kenya, Habitat for Humanity completed the 500,000th house on Oct. 3 in partnership with families who were displaced after post-election violence erupted in the country in late 2007.  That same day, volunteers raised the walls on Habitat’s 500,001st house inPaterson,N.J. The house will be built in one of the inner-city neighborhoods where Paterson Habitat for Humanity has been continuously building since 1984.

Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide organization that operates in nearly 80 countries, including all 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Thanks to Habitat for Humanity’s help, a family somewhere in the world improves its housing situation every 7 minutes of every hour of every day of the year. In 2010, Habitat for Humanity served a record 74,960 families in need.

Story and photos submitted by Cindy Bruemmer, Rockwall Habitat for Humanity.                                        

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  Habitat for Humanity, Kenya, Rockwall, World Habitat Day