The
HCA Foundation on Behalf of Tulane Medical Center
to
Support NOAHH’s Efforts
New Orleans,
LA (March 6, 2008)— New Orleans Area
Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH) will celebrate it’s 25th year of
service in the metropolitan New Orleans Area by participating in the Jimmy
& Rosalynn Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity International.
“To witness
the devastation left behind by Hurricane Katrina and the levee breaches
firsthand was overwhelming,” stated Jim Pate, Executive Director of New Orleans
Area Habitat for Humanity. “After two
decades of working in this community, we saw the need for low-income housing
drastically increase post-Katrina and realized our efforts must also.”
During the
Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project Week (May 11 – 16, 2008), NOAHH will
blitz build (start to finish) 10 homes; finish and dedicate 25 homes (homes
started since January 1, 2008); and start 25 homes (start to dry-in status)
during the week. The homes will be
spread throughout the Upper Ninth Ward, Westbank and the Hollygrove areas of
New Orleans.
Hundreds of volunteers
from around the country will participate and experience a Habitat build as
never experienced before. The week will
be full of work, fun and community-building as future homeowners come in
contact with the volunteers as their homes are built.
The HCA
Foundation is the philanthropic arm of HCA, has signed on as the first NOAHH “Apprentice”
partner for the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in New Orleans. HCA is one of the nation's leading providers
of healthcare services with hospitals located throughout Louisiana and
Mississippi. Since 2000, HCA has
invested nearly three million dollars in Habitat for Humanity, building 49
homes across the United States. Nearly 10,000 HCA employees have volunteered in
the effort, taking a one-day break and contributing more than 80,000 volunteer
hours from their hospital duties to help hard-working families achieve their
dream of home ownership. “HCA’s support
of our local efforts means a great deal to our affiliate and our partner
families who are waiting to move into their new homes. We appreciate their generosity and support,”
stated Pate.
"We are also especially pleased to welcome President and
Mrs. Carter to the Gulf Coast for this monumental effort," said Mel
Lagarde, president of HCA's Delta Division. "The HCA Foundation on behalf
of Tulane Medical Center is honored to be able to participate as one of the
lead sponsors and we look forward to sharing this occasion with our employees
as they continue their support and service to Habitat and the families who will
benefit from this special effort."
Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita destroyed or damaged more than half-a-million houses along the
Gulf Coast. According to a 2007 RAND
Corporation study, 72 percent of all houses in Orleans Parish, Louisiana which
includes New Orleans, were damaged. This
does not include the parishes of St. Bernard, St. Charles, Plaquemines or
Jefferson which NOAHH also serves.
“Our
commitment to the New Orleans area has never been stronger,” added Pate. “There is much to be done and we are
committed to doing our part to help displaced New Orleanians.”
NOAHH’s building
efforts are concentrated on the Upper Ninth Ward, Hollygrove, Central City, St.
Bernard Parish, Jefferson Parish and Plaquemines Parish. These neighborhoods are all in need of
housing opportunities and through key partnerships, NOAHH is able to make home
ownership affordable for many families.
Since the
devastation of the city by wind and water during Hurricane Katrina and the
subsequent levee failures, New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH) has
become the leading homebuilder and one of the foremost forces of recovery of
the city. Post Katrina, NOAHH has built
over 100 houses, with 160 more under construction. With a goal of completing 180
houses this year, NOAHH is growing at an exponential rate. Over 60,000
volunteers have flocked to New Orleans to do their part. In 2006, NOAHH pulled 12% of all single
family residential new construction building permits (60 pulled out of total
513) – the largest single applicant both for-profit and non-profit.
About The HCA Foundation
The HCA
Foundation is the philanthropic arm of HCA, one of the nation's leading
providers of healthcare services, which operates 169 hospitals and 108
freestanding surgery centers in 20 states and England (including eight
hospitals and nine freestanding surgery centers operated through equity method
joint ventures) with approximately 186,000 employees. HCA’s Delta Division
operates hospitals in Louisiana and Mississippi, including Tulane Medical
Center, Tulane-Lakeside Hospital, Lakeview Regional Medical Center (Covington,
Louisiana) and Garden Park Medical Center (Gulfport, Mississippi). The HCA
Foundation's mission is to promote health and well being and support childhood
and youth development. In partnership with the employees of HCA, The HCA
Foundation seeks to accomplish its mission by providing leadership, service and
financial support to non-profit organizations effectively engaged in addressing
local needs.
25 Years
of Building with the Carters
Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have been helping Habitat
for Humanity shine the spotlight on the need for affordable housing since 1984. That year, the Carters led a small team of
Habitat volunteers to New York City to help renovate a six-story apartment
building with 19 families in need of decent, affordable shelter. A quarter of a century later, that modest
effort has grown into an internationally-recognized annual event that has taken
place in communities around the world.
About Habitat for Humanity
International
Habitat
for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to
its work all people dedicated to the cause of elimina
ting poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built
more than 250,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable
shelter for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.
About New Orleans Area Habitat for
Humanity
New
Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH), an independent affiliate of Habitat
for Humanity International, is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. NOAHH builds
new houses in partnership with sponsors, volunteers, communities, and homeowner
families to eliminate poverty housing in the New Orleans area while serving as
a catalyst to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Since its inception
in 1983 NOAHH has built over 200 new homes for low-income families in need of
adequate shelter. In the next five
years, NOAHH plans to build 1,500 homes in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and
Plaquemines Parishes. www.habitat-nola.org
Jessica Vrettos, 28, and Shannon
Farrell, 29, will walk the length of the state along the Interstate 25 corridor
to raise $85,000 for New Orleans Habitat for Humanity and an extra $8,500 for
local habitat projects.
