First Habitat House Completed in Queensland, Australia with Support from Businesses and Local Community
December 12, 2004
SYDNEY 12th December 2004: The first Habitat for Humanity home to be built in Queensland, Australia, was handed over to the Adams family in Gympie, close to Brisbane, in time for Christmas.
Home for Christmas: Ian Graham, Managing Director, PMI Mortgage Insurance Australia handing over the keys to the Adams family. Gordon, Donna holding Joseph, Damien, Christopher, Patrick and Nicholas.
This was the culmination of a ten-week intensive project to build the house and hand over the keys to the family. The house was completed with the assistance of Hotondo Homes, PMI Mortgage Insurance and community volunteers in Gympie. Local businesses donated 85% of materials to build the home.
CEO for Habitat for Humanity in Australia Michael Pailthorpe said, “This first house in Queensland is a significant milestone for Habitat’s operations. It is important for us, to be able to expand home ownership opportunities to more Australians in more areas with support from partners such as PMI.”
As part of its commitment to the HFH program as a supporter and sponsor, PMI not only contributed financially to the cost of the house, but also donated it’s own team of volunteers.
PMI’s managing director Ian Graham said, “Our focus as a leading mortgage insurer is about providing opportunities to attain home ownership and this relationship is an integral aspect of our vision.”
“Having been involved with Habitat for some time we see our role as providing a hand-up, rather than a hand-out for the family. We are very excited to be involved in the first Habitat house to be built in Queensland.”
Teamwork!: Ian Graham, Michael Neary, Head of Product Development, PMI Mortgage Insurance, Emma Rumble, PMI Mortgage Insurance and Michael Pailthorpe, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Australia.
The Adams family from Gympie family is made up of young couple - Gordon and Donna - and their five boys from one to 12 years old, Joseph, Damien, Christopher, Patrick and Nicholas. The family take an active role in the community, often volunteering for community projects themselves.
Despite having faced some serious health and lifestyle challenges of their own over the past two years, the Adams family contributed “sweat equity”, working on the new house, as part of their commitment to the unique Habitat for Humanity program. The family is purchasing the house through an interest-free mortgage. House repayments are used by Habitat for Humanity to build more houses for other families in need.
This family’s new home is the 53rd house built in Australia by Habitat for Humanity with the help of volunteer labor, donated materials, land and funds provided by sponsors and supporters such as Hotondo, PMI and local communities. The house is also the fourth joint project between PMI and HFH Australia.