TAMPA, FLORIDA. --- During the NCAA Women’s Final Four, the NCAA, Habitat for Humanity International, Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County and Lowe’s will team up to build a home in partnership with a hard-working, low-income family that was displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Volunteers from the Tampa area and attendees of the Final Four games will construct a Habitat for Humanity house frame on Saturday, April 5, at St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa. The build will take place in a parking lot outside of the venue.

The frame of the home will be left on display until the championship game on Tuesday, April 8.

The home will be moved to a permanent site within the community and be completed at a later time by local volunteers. Sue Donohoe, vice president for NCAA Women’s Basketball, and Judy Southard, chair of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Committee, will be on site from 10:30 to 11 a.m.  J. J. Jumper, the mascot for NCAA Basketball, will visit with fans from 11 to 11:15 a.m.

The Tampa project is the latest in the NCAA Home Team partnership with Habitat for Humanity International, which began in 2005 after hurricanes struck the Gulf Coast. The NCAA has committed $2.5 million during the three-year partnership.

“Our women’s basketball community is pleased to have the opportunity to leave a footprint and legacy behind in Tampa,” said Sue Donohoe, NCAA Vice President for Division I Women's Basketball. “This is a meaningful project for all those involved and we hope through our involvement we will make a difference in the lives of a family in the city that is serving as our host.”

The NCAA is funding a majority of the cost of the house, which is approximately $90,000. The build is also sponsored by Lowe’s, one of the NCAA’s corporate partners and a corporate supporter of Habitat, which contributed $10,000 to the cost of the home.

“This build combines Lowe’s ongoing commitment to Habitat for Humanity International and the successful relationship we’ve forged with the NCAA to help a Tampa Bay family,” said Larry D. Stone, chairman, Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation. “We’re proud to work with the local students and Women’s Final Four attendees to help a family realize its dream of home ownership.”

Since the relationship between NCAA and Habitat began, more than 1,000 student-athletes and other volunteers have helped build more than 25 homes in partnership with low income families.

“This partnership is incredibly important to Habitat for Humanity because of the many resources the NCAA offers,” said Kathy Brogli, community relations director of Habitat for Humanity

of Hillsborough County. “The NCAA brings much-needed funding and volunteers to aid families in need of housing. They also have a unique reach to America’s youth that encourages them to make a difference in their communities.”

One of the unique features of the Habitat for Humanity program is that while homeowners purchase these homes at no profit, they must also complete “sweat equity” hours to be eligible, meaning that future homeowners will be working side-by-side with the volunteers.

Future homeowner Lennetta Summers and her children Lenita and Micah were displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and have since been living with her brother’s family in Tampa. After seven months of working temporary jobs, Summers found a job at a university, which has afforded her the opportunity to pursue both her associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. Although her son has a medical condition, both of her children have excelled since their new start in Tampa. 

“For my family, the Habitat home represents a new beginning—an opportunity for a fresh start after several years of instability,” said Summers. “My family is unwavering in our commitment in overcoming the ravages of Hurricane Katrina by building a place that we can call home. We are so grateful to the NCAA and Lowe’s for making this possible.”

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.ncaa.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 Habitat for Humanity for Hillsborough County

Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County is a volunteer non-profit, faith-based organization dedicated to providing decent, affordable housing in partnership with the community and deserving families in Hillsborough County. Since becoming an affiliate in 1987, Habitat Hillsborough has built over 120 homes. Donors and volunteers from all walks of life are invited to come together with Habitat Hillsborough and our future homeowners to build relationships and to realize dreams. Together we build homes…build lives…build hope.  For more information, visit www.habitathillsborough.com.

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 250,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.

About Lowe’s

Lowe’s is a proud supporter of Habitat for Humanity International, American Red Cross, United Way of America, and the Home Safety Council, in addition to numerous non-profit organizations and programs that help communities across the country.  In 2007, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $27.5 million to support community and education projects in the United States and Canada. Lowe’s also encourages volunteerism through the Lowe’s Heroes program, a company-wide employee volunteer initiative.  Lowe’s is a FORTUNE® 50 company with fiscal year 2007 sales of $48.3 billion and has more than 1,525 stores in the United States and Canada.  For more information, visit www.lowes.com/community.

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