PENSACOLA, FLORIDA --- Last November, Pensacola, Florida opened its doors to the NCAA Division II Fall Championships Festival
with more than 800 student-athletes competing for six national
championships. Approximately 400 of those student-athletes, coaches and
administrators returned the favor to the hurricane-affected city by
volunteering to help construct six new homes with local residents. They
did this as part of the NCAA Home Team, a partnership between the NCAA
and Habitat for Humanity International. Another 100 volunteers from
local Division II institution University of West Florida also
contributed to the build.
Over a three-day period during the festival, volunteers worked to
complete the exteriors for three homes on their slab foundations at the
intersection of Idlewood Drive and Larkfield Circle and framed another
three homes at Brosnaham Park, one of the championship venues. Those
house frames were later moved to their permanent locations for
completion.
In the past eight months since the conclusion of the Festival, the
Pensacola Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers worked with area
high school volunteers and Habitat partner families to complete the
homes. Now living in the completed homes, the six families could not be
more pleased.
“My home means everything to me,” said Latisha Murphy, a single mother
and new homeowner. “I never thought my son and I would have a permanent
place to call home, but now we have a special place that is our own.”
As sponsor of the homes, the NCAA was invited to participate in the
July 30 dedication as a tribute to the student-athletes that played
such a vital role in the construction.
“The NCAA was pleased to take part in the building of these six homes
and honored to be part of the dedication. It is important for
student-athletes to embrace community service and the role they play in
contributing to society. This partnership allows us to give back to a
community that has embraced us,” said Myles Brand, president of the
NCAA.
Throughout the first two years of the NCAA Home Team partnership,
more than 1,000 student-athletes and other volunteers have built nearly
25 homes for families to aid the rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast,
as well as help meet housing needs in other areas of the country. One
year remains in the partnership.
“While most hurricane recovery has been focused on the Mississippi and
Louisiana Gulf Coast region affected by the 2005 storms, Pensacola
suffered three hurricanes from 2004 to 2005, and we are still working
our way back from that devastation,” explained Betty Salter, executive
director of Pensacola Habitat for Humanity. “The NCAA has the ability
to reach so many young people and to get them to understand the need
for their volunteer efforts and the importance of volunteering in
general. Beyond the number of homes constructed, the positive example
set by the NCAA is one of the greatest aspects of this partnership,”
she said.
Division II
has been a leading force in the NCAA Home Team partnership, giving the
lead gift of $1 million in 2005. In total, the NCAA has given $2.5
million for the NCAA/Habitat for Humanity builds. To date, the build at
the Division II Fall Championships Festival is the largest in terms of
student-athlete participation and the number of homes being constructed
at one time.
“The Division II response to the hurricanes’ aftermath though Habitat
for Humanity is reflective of our membership's engagement and service
to the communities we serve,” said Charles Ambrose, president of
Pfeiffer University, and chair of the Division II Presidents Council.
“The efforts during the Division II Fall Championships Festival last
November demonstrated Division II’s desire to take an active part in
building community.”
“Through its Home Team partnership, the NCAA -- its staff, its member
schools, its leadership, its student-athletes across the U.S. -- has
clearly declared an intolerance of substandard housing," said Jonathan
Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity
International. "And they've done so not only through the dollars that
make our work possible, but by mobilizing volunteers who engage their
hands and hearts in Habitat's life-changing mission.”
As part of the dedication, the NCAA will provide the homeowners with a
gift basket including an NCAA blanket, mini basketball, books and other
items. These gifts are in addition to the traditional Habitat for
Humanity gifts: a tool kit, a homeowner’s manual and a Bible.
One of the unique features of the Habitat for Humanity program is
homeowners must also apply “sweat equity” to the construction of their
houses, meaning they all physically contribute to the completion of
their homes.
“The most special part about my home is the positive example I am
setting for my daughter,” said new homeowner Regina Jones. “I’m showing
her that she too can own something one day as long as she works hard
for it.”
About the NCAA
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and
universities committed to supporting academic and athletic
opportunities for more than 380,000 student-athletes at more than 1,200
member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000
student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and
III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaasports.com
for more details about the Association, its goals and members and
corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.
The NCAA is proud to have the following elite companies as official
Corporate Champions—AT&T, Coca-Cola and Pontiac—and the following
elite companies as official Corporate Partners—DiGiorno, Enterprise,
The Hartford, Lowe’s and State Farm.
About Pensacola Habitat for Humanity
Pensacola Habitat for Humanity has been in existence for 26 years and
serves Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. The affiliate has completed
more than 533 homes and removed more than 2,200 people from unsafe and
unaffordable housing. Pensacola Habitat for Humanity has consistently
ranked as one of the top 10 most productive Habitat for Humanity
affiliates out of the 1,700 affiliates across the nation. For more
information, visit www.pensacolahabitat.org.
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
eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has
built more than 225,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and
affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more
information, visit www.habitat.org.
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