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NCAA News Release
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NCAA And AFCA Join Habitat For Humanity To Build Two Homes With Hurricane-Affected Families In The Chattanooga Area
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For Immediate Release
Thursday, December 14, 2006
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Contact(s)
Dana Thomas
Assistant Coordinator of Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117
317/614-5628 (cell)
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CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE ---Volunteers from the NCAA and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) are joining Habitat for Humanity to pre-build two house frames for families displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last fall. The build will take place on Thursday, December 14 in the parking lot of W. Max Finley Stadium/Davenport Field in Chattanooga, a day before the Division I Football Championship is held there.
The homes, which are part of Operation Home Delivery, Habitat�s hurricane recovery program, will be fully framed at the stadium and then moved to a permanent location in Chattanooga, where two families displaced by last year�s hurricanes will reside.
In addition to Habitat for Humanity and NCAA staff, construction volunteers working on the project include University of Tennessee, Chattanooga students and student-athletes.
The NCAA and the AFCA are funding one house each. Funding for the AFCA project comes in the form of donations raised during an auction held by the AFCA during last year�s championship build. That $34,000 and an additional AFCA donation of $16,000 have made building one of the houses possible.
"We are proud that the AFCA auction held in 2005 was such a success that we could provide this amount of funding for such a worthy project," said Grant Teaff, AFCA executive director.
The Chattanooga project is the latest project in the NCAA Home Team partnership between Habitat for Humanity and the NCAA that began last fall after hurricanes struck the Gulf Coast. The NCAA has committed $2.5 million over three years of the partnership, with the $1 million lead gift from Division II.
"The NCAA is committed to providing funds and volunteer assistance through the NCAA Home Team partnership and with the help from the AFCA, we are able to build two homes, instead of one, for displaced families in Chattanooga this year," said Dennis Poppe, NCAA managing director for football and baseball.
"By working together, the NCAA and Habitat for Humanity give new meaning to �team building,�" said Donald Bonin of Habitat for Humanity International. "The NCAA brings much needed funding and volunteers to address the needs of families displaced by the hurricanes. They also reach out to America�s youth and encourage them to make a difference. Best of all, they will continue to carry that message over the next two years," he said.
"Partnership with the NCAA and AFCA gives us the privilege of helping two more displaced families have a new beginning," said John Lamb with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga. "We are glad that these families will become part of our community. It is a joy to see the good that results when student-athletes take action to change their communities. By working together we can bring hope to those displaced by the hurricanes, as well as those in need of simple, decent, affordable and safe housing no matter the cause."
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