Do YOU Know Habitat For Humanity?

There are a great many misconceptions about Habitat for Humanity, one of which is President Jimmy Carter's connection to the organization.   I am working on a post that will help clarify many of these and I'd love your help. Please post in our comments any questions you have about our organization and how it works. 

Thank you for your help,
Erin Rank, president/CEO
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles

Ricky Martin Foundation And Music For Relief Raise Funds For Haiti

The response to the Haiti Earthquake has been incredible and inspiring. We are honored to share two programs created by a couple of Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity's ongoing partners and their foundations, Ricky Martin (Ricky Martin Foundation) and Linkin Park (Music for Relief).

Ricky Martin and Habitat for Humanity International's CEO, Jonathan Reckford, visited earthquake-ravaged neighborhoods in Port Au Prince shortly after the 7.0-magnitude quake. During the visit we announced the Ricky Martin Foundation/Habitat for Humanity Haiti Recovery Fund.

Martin was deeply moved by the trip and recorded a video message while he was there. To view it in English click here, or view it in Spanish here.

There are four ways to support Martin and Habitat for Humanity's rebuilding efforts.

Text: Text 'rmfhaiti' to 25383 to make a $10 donation to the RMF/HFH Haiti Recovery Fund.

Donate: Click HERE to donate any amount you can to the RMF/HFH Haiti Recovery Fund (early responders will win special prizes from Martin)

Bid: Bid in the auction launching Sunday (1/31) at Charity Buzz and help raise funds for families affected by the earthquake.

Advocate: Put the RMF/HFH Haiti Recovery Fund Banner on your website and help spread the word. Download banners here.

For updates on the Ricky Martin Foundation/Habitat for Humanity Haiti Recovery Fund follow @ricky_martin @rm_foundation @habitatali @habitat_org @habitatlac on twitter.

Download to Donate for Haiti is an amazing campaign put together by Music for Relief/ Linkin Park.

Visit Music for Relief to download tracks from your favorite artists including: Peter Gabriel, Linkin Park, Dave Mathews Band, Alanis Morisette, Lupe Fiasco, Kenna, Enrique Iglesias, Slash and The All American Rejects. The tracks are available to download for whatever donation amount fans choose to contribute. The compilation will also be released on iTunes with a suggested list price of $1.29/track and $9.99/album.

Artists and songs will be added to this album, breathing new life into the relief effort in Haiti. As Music for Relief's ongoing partner, Habitat for Humanity will be one of the three beneficiaries of this project. Our funds will be allocated to the reconstruction and rebuilding of Haiti in the form of food, water, medical support and long-term sustainable housing. Other organizations benefiting from this program are the UN Foundation/Central Emergency Response Fund and BAMA Works Foundation.

For updates on "Download to Donate" follow @musicforrelief @lpunderground and @habitatali on twitter.

See You at City Labs this Weekend in Los Angeles

Our partnership with Causecast has been terrific in helping us reach a broader audience. They inspire their members to get more involved in the causes they  are passionate about. This Saturday, January 23rd, is a great example. Habitat GLA will join about 50 other nonprofits in a community service fair hosted by City Labs. This is a great way for us to gain higher exposure and support within the Los Angeles community.

As we talk about our work we hope to also learn about other L.A.-based nonprofits and how we might be able to forge new partnerships. We are looking forward to engaging new and old supporters alike and also will be sharing about our work globally, specifically about our Haitian Relief Campaign.

We will have Hollywood for Habitat tees and baseball caps for sale and a little swag at our booth so stop by and say hello! We hope to meet many new friends!

Share Your Support - Please add a Banner to your Website, Blog or Social Network Page

Habitat for Humanity International - Haiti Earthquake Web Banner -->On Tuesday, January 12, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, the strongest earthquake that country has seen in more than 200 years. Already, the disaster is being called a catastrophe of major proportions.

We need your help. The extent of Habitat's ability to help families rebuild their homes and lives after this devastating earthquake will depend on the funds we can raise for the work—and on how quickly those funds are available.

You can help Habitat respond to the earthquake in Haiti by adding these banner ads to your blog or personal Web site.

How Habitat for Humanity Plans to Aid in Haiti's Recovery

DONATE NOW

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 quake, the most powerful earthquake to hit Haiti in a century, struck southern Haiti. Several eyewitnesses reported heavy damage and fatalities in the streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince, where concrete-block homes line steep hillsides. The number of affected persons is unknown; however, Haiti’s ambassador to the United States has called the quake a “catastrophe of major proportions.”

There are nearly 10,000 persons of Haitian descent currently living in the Greater Los Angeles region.  In response to this major disaster, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles has announced its plans to work closely with Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) to aid in the country’s recovery efforts. A team has been sent into the impacted areas to assess damages, after which a recovery plan will be put into place immediately.

HFHI has been at work in Haiti for 26 years and will use its local expertise and mobilize resources as part of the rebuilding efforts. It has provided more than 2,000 families with housing solutions through a variety of initiatives, including new home construction, progressive building, home repairs and improvements. It also builds capacity in construction skills, disaster mitigation and financial literacy and works in coordination with community and government agencies.

Please join us in praying for Haiti and help us rebuild by sharing your blessings.  You will be amazed at how far a $25 or $50 donation will go in a country like Haiti, where Habitat for Humanity can build homes for under $7,000.  Please give what you can and let your friends know that we need your help. We will give 100% of what you give to the Haiti fund directly to the rebuilding efforts. No fees are taken out for administration. So, please give now so that these families can have the safety and security of a home once again.  No donation is too small.
Just click on the donate button today!

If you know of businesses, churches, agencies or individuals who'd like to donate, please forward this link (http://bit.ly/7TdRJQ) to them or write to us directly .

DONATE NOW

Youth United's Kate Sim Interviewed on PBS' Tavis Smiley Show

Check out Kate Sim, HFH GLA's Youth United steering committee president, on the Tavis Smiley show.  Great job Kate!

Cast Members of General Hospital Thank YOU!

A couple weeks ago we had our build day with General Hospital cast members and their fans. It was definitely one of the highlights of our ongoing "The House That General Hospital Fans Built" campaign. The rain was coming down hard here in Los Angeles, but it did nothing to dampen our spirits - the energy on the build site was electric. The electricity carried on throughout the day amongst the fans who traveled near and far to be there, the cast members themselves (many of which had never built before) and all the volunteer crew leaders who transformed many framing novices into pros in just a few hours.

Everyone sat down for lunch at big, long tables together - cast members, fans and Habitat for Humanity G.L.A. partner families. During lunch Betty Monroy, our most recent homeowner, gave a speech and nourished everyone with her beautiful words. Brandon and Lisa also spoke and it was clear from what they said that they (and many of their cast members) had caught what we like to call "Habititis."

In fact many of the cast members said it was the best General Hospital event that they could remember and took some time to make this video to thank everyone who has contributed in any way to this campaign.