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AMERICUS, GEORGIA, USA., June 18th 2004 – Habitat for
Humanity International’s Board of Directors announced
that Habitat is expanding the number of countries and territories
it is working in from 92 to 100, and named a managing director
to help continue the organization’s remarkable 28-year
track record.
With the addition of Angola, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Laos,
Myanmar, Macedonia, Turkey and Micronesia, Habitat will be
working in more than half the countries of the world. Coinciding
with this, the board named Paul Leonard, longtime volunteer
and former board chair, managing director of the global nonprofit
homebuilder.
Leonard, who brings experience in ministry and homebuilding
to his new role, plans
to “work hand in hand” with Millard Fuller and
David Williams to provide day-to-day direction and management.
Fuller is Habitat’s founder, CEO and president, and
Williams is executive vice president and chief operating officer.
“Now that we are working in more than half the countries
in the world, we grow ever closer to our ultimate goal –
a world in which everyone has, at minimum, a simple, decent,
affordable place to live,” says Leonard, of Davidson,
North Carolina, USA, a retired real estate and housing professional,
who last held the position of executive
vice president of Centex Real Estate Corp.
The board also confirmed that Habitat will build its 200,000th
home and house its millionth person in a Habitat home by the
end of 2005. The announcements follow
a milestone year for Habitat, which built its 50,000th homes
in both the United States and Latin America/Caribbean regions.
Other milestones include the “More Than Houses”
campaign, which has raised nearly US$400 million of its US$500
million goal to build 100,000 more houses by the end
of 2005. Habitat also strengthened partnerships with
corporations and organizations worldwide. Whirlpool, for example,
expanded its relationship, sponsoring the Women’s Tennis
Association Tour in Europe and the Reba McEntire concert tour
to raise awareness about Habitat. Lowe’s is the 2004
underwriter of Habitat’s Women Build program, which
encourages and empowers women to get involved in building
houses.
Habitat launched partnerships with Clear Channel Entertainment,
through the“Raise
the Roof!” campaign, and with Christian artists and
the Gospel Music Association through “Faith Works!,”
which will bring artists into the effort to help erase poverty
housing from the planet.
“The view, looking backward and forward, is remarkable,”
says Rey Ramsey, chair
of Habitat’s international board and CEO of One Economy
Corp., Washington, DC.
“We have gone places and done things few thought possible,
and we are positioned
for a dynamic future.”
Leonard says he is dedicated to working with Habitat leadership
and building on the strong foundations of the past 28 years.
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