Support those who support Habitat   Women Build Homes with the Corona Family Alto Vineyards Amasong Beaumont Alignment Plus BridalU.net Cooper's Hawk Winery Corkscrew English Hedgerow Friar Tuck Furrow Vineyard Chef Benjamin Graves Herriott's Rentals Kickapoo Creek Winery Lynfred Winery, Inc. Mackinaw Valley Vineyard Macy's Michelle's Bridal National Council of Negro Women, Champaign County Section Printec Sleepy Creek Vineyards El Toro II Traveling Vineyard Women of Grace Community Church Wells Fargo Housing Foundation Z Entertainment ReStore sponsors Champaign Carpet and Tile Champaign Estate Sales Champaign Telephone Company Empty Tomb General Growth Properties/Marketplace Mall Lowe's MAB Paints New Prairie Construction Pier 1 Imports Remco Electric Riley Homes Sherwin Williams Springfield Electric   Shop - Donate - Volunteer   Champaign County's ReStore is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. Donations of goods for the ReStore are accepted during business hours. Please pull up to the southeast garage door and ring bell for assistance. Too large for your vehicle? Schedule a donation pick up! Donation pick ups are $5 in C-U, and $10 outside C-U within a 15 mile radius. Contact us at (217) 355-6460 x120 or restore@cuhabitat.org to schedule. See new items here!   You are invited: Town Halls   Learn about Habitat's mission of building relationships and community through homes for low income families. Ask questions of volunteers and staff. Provide feedback on how Habitat might better serve all of Champaign County. Graciously hosted by: St. Joseph United Methodist Tuesday, January 29, 2008 from 630-730pm 205 N. 3rd, St. Joseph, IL 61873 St. Matthew Lutheran Thursday, February 21, 2008 from 630-730pm 2200 Philo Rd, Urbana, IL 61802   Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County & ReStore   119 E. University Ave. Champaign, IL 61820 (217) 355-6460 ReStore (217) 359-0507 Administration www.cuhabitat.org Flickr photo stream	Brought to you by...     Dream of a New Future   Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County will build two more homes with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in 2008 This year, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has given new meaning to "corporate generosity." Already one of Habitat for Humanity's largest supporters through the $105 million Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity alliance, Thrivent Financial has announced an increase in this four-year commitment to $125 million. Of that amount, $23.2 million will be used in 2008 to build 322 Habitat homes in 42 states. Additionally in 2008, the alliance will support more than 200 volunteer teams that will help build homes on the Gulf Coast and abroad. "At the beginning of the alliance we committed $105 million, but actually budgeted an additional $20 million that we could add later if the alliance proved successful," said Senior Vice President Brad Hewitt, of Thrivent Financial. "Given our results to date, we're ready to make that additional commitment." The increased commitment from Thrivent Financial responds to the interest and involvement of thousands of the nearly 3 million Thrivent Financial members, the successes of the alliance since it was formed in 2005, and the understanding that it has greater potential yet to be realized. Good Shepherd Lutheran (Champaign) member, and 2008 Thrivent Builds Homes Chapter Specialist, Joan Wingo said, "I support Habitat because I think each child needs to have a safe place of their own so they can relax and think. This is when we are able to become creative. It is the time when we identify the talents we have been given and the best way to use them. Children need a safe secure environment so they can study without worrying whether something will happen to them, their family or their belongings." Locally, Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County has been awarded $114,000, or 65 percent of the funds necessary, to build 2 (two) homes in 2008 through the alliance. Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County will raise $46,000. Area congregations are responsible for a total of $14,000, $5,000 of which is already in the bank. These homes will be built by area volunteers, of whom at least one-half will be Lutheran and one-fourth will be Thrivent Financial members. The Habitat partner families will also invest up to 500 hours of "sweat equity" helping to build their homes. Construction will begin as early as May and is expected to continue for two months, with volunteers on site Fridays and Saturdays. Since the inception of the Thrivent Builds alliance, Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County has built two of the more than 650 Thrivent Builds homes constructed across the nation. In 2008, they join 241 other Habitat affiliates in 42 states to build the 322 homes funded. "These will be our seventh and eighth homes with Champaign County's Lutheran community. Maintaining that level of commitment is a testament to the power of Habitat's mission to build community and relationships through the construction of new homes with low income families," said Eileen Gebbie, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County. Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity brings together two national nonprofit networks of more than 1,600 Habitat affiliates and 1,362 Thrivent volunteer chapters. The need for an effort of this magnitude is great: According to Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing in 2007, nearly half of low-income U.S. households - more than 13 million families - pay more than 50 percent of their income on housing. Millions more live in overcrowded conditions or housing with severe physical deficiencies, such as having no hot water, electricity or toilet. "It's time to let children and their parents dream of a new future," Wingo concluded.   2008 Home Build Schedule   The pace of your Habitat affiliate's home building is contingent on three elements: families, land and funding. Our Women Build Homes project has a family, Maricela Corona and her daughters, as well as land, 114 N Cottage Grove (Urbana). To date, $29,000 of the $64,500 needed has been raised. The 2008 Thrivent Builds partnership has land (the site of the old Frances Nelson clinic at 1304 N Carver), about 70% of the needed funds but no families. In 2007, Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County was contacted by 238 families. Seventy-nine were denied at initial contact due to a failure to meet income requirements, having bankruptcy within the previous two years, and/or being at current employer for less than six months. An additional 151 applicants have become inactive (they did not follow up with requested information such as pay stubs, references and the like). Eight families are now working with our volunteer-run Family Selection Committee to verify their need, ability to pay a mortgage and willingness to partner with Champaign County on a home build. So what is our 2008 home build schedule? We will complete at least three with Women Build Homes and Thrivent Builds Homes. Other partnerships are in the works, but not yet confirmed. If you would like to help in raising funds, locating land or selecting qualified families for these projects - or have an idea for a new build - please contact Eileen Gebbie at 359-0507 x111 or director@cuhabitat.org. See a Google map of our homes here. Images and stories from past home builds are here and at our Flickr photostream here.