Youth groups advocate for affordable housing during Habitat for Humanity’s Act! Speak! Build! Week
ATLANTA (April 3, 2012) —More than 130 Habitat campus chapters will spend the first week of April advocating on behalf of Habitat for Humanity to raise awareness of the issue of poverty housing during Habitat’s Act! Speak! Build! Week.
During the week, young people between the ages of 5 and 25 will work in partnership with local affiliates to plan and host events focused on providing better shelter for 1.6 billion people worldwide. The event is aimed at empowering young people to educate themselves and their communities in an effort to foster social action.
Members of Habitat for Humanity’s Florida State University campus chapter advocate for improved water and sanitation programs by collecting signatures and handprints for the Water for the World Act.
“Young people today are incredibly socially conscious and passionate about making the world a better place,” said Cody Logsdon, youth volunteer engagement manager. “Act! Speak! Build! Week gives young people a means to participate in advocacy activities, such as letter writing or online campaigns, and to work at changing attitudes toward affordable housing.”
Students will play host to events like “Shantytown,” where students construct shacks and sleep on campus, and also encourage others to sign up with Habitat’s “Take Action” pledges. This year’s pledge focus includes: Water for the World Act of 2012; protect funding of the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP); and the SLUM Assistance Act.
Habitat’s Act! Speak! Build! Week is one of the many programs Habitat has to engage youth ages 5 to 25 in Habitat’s work. Since 2007, State Farm has served as the national corporate sponsor of Habitat for Humanity’s youth programs, with a sponsorship commitment of more than 1.1 million in grants each year. Additionally, State Farm offices contribute more than 500,000 annually to Habitat affiliates across the United States.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat’s blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.
About State Farm
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 17,800 agents and more than 66,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 37 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.