Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County will be kicking off their season of inter-faith home builds this Sunday, featuring more than 22 faith organizations. The build, which will take place at 1212 Hill St. in Urbana, will start this Sunday afternoon, and the public is welcome to come to celebrate the occasion, which helps provide necessary home-ownership services to those in need.
For a full list of participating organizations, as well as a press release, take a look below:
Habitat for Humanity is celebrating the kick-off of its first interfaith build on Sunday, September 11, at 3:00pm. The ceremony will be held at 1212 Hill Street in Urbana, the site of one of the Habitat homes in the project. Each faith group will be participating in the ceremony, offering prayers of unity, and declaring commitments to serving affordable housing needs in Champaign County. The community is invited to celebrate this effort, and join in the spirit of collaboration by providing a hand up to local families through service.
Twenty-two Champaign County faith groups from a wide range of beliefs and doctrines have committed funds and volunteers. A two-week Blitz Build will be held in mid-October with volunteers working alongside Habitat homeowners LaKendra O’Bannon and Nicole Blackwell-Parker. Both families will be participating in the kick-off ceremony, and will be adding 250 hours of their own sweat equity into the builds. O’Bannon says, “I consider this “hand up” from the faith volunteers, a wonderful blessing to help my family achieve a more stable and self-reliant future. I can’t wait to get started building!” Nicole Blackwell-Parker has helped several others in the community build their Habitat homes. Nicole reflects, “Without opportunities like these, it’s easy to feel helpless when life’s challenges stand in our way. I have seen that no matter what the struggle–God continues to bless those who don’t give up.”
“We have been doing outreach, and building this coalition in the Champaign County faith community for several months, says Sheila Dodd, Executive Director for the local Habitat affiliate. Throughout this process, we have seen the enthusiasm building as churches, temples, and mosques have all stepped forward to break down barriers and build new friendships. We are also pleased to share this effort on a national day of service and remembrance. The interfaith build project is inspiring many to build partnerships by putting their faith into action through service.”
Participating Faith Groups: Canaan Baptist, Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center, Community United Church of Christ, Faith Church-Urbana, Faith United Methodist Church, First Mennonite, First Presbyterian-Urbana, Good Shepherd Lutheran, Grave Lutheran, Illini Hillel for Jewish Life, Mahomet United Methodist, McKinley Presbyterian Church, Foundation, and Presby Hall, New Covenant Fellowship, Savoy United Methodist, Sinai Temple, St. Matthew Lutheran, Stone Creek, Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox, Unitarian Universalist Urbana-Champaign, University Place Christian, Wesley United Methodist