300,000th house

Habitat for Humanity will mark a major milestone November 13–14, 2008 when construction begins on the homebuilding ministry’s 300,000th house in Naples, Fla., and 300,001st house in Zacapa, Guatemala. Habitat volunteers and homeowners will raise the walls as part of the builds hosted by Habitat for Humanity of Collier County and Guatemala Habitat for Humanity.

The 300,000th house will be built in remembrance of Mary Ann Durso, former executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Collier County who died in May 2008. Mrs. Durso spent 15 years working alongside her husband, Dr. Sam Durso, as a full-time volunteer to build the largest annual producing Habitat for Humanity affiliate in the United States. Under the leadership of the Dursos, Habitat of Collier County has helped provide more than 5,000 people with safe, decent and affordable shelter.

One day after construction begins in Naples, volunteers will break ground on Habitat’s 300,001st house in Zacapa, Guatemala. Zacapa is a region that suffers from one of the lowest levels of community and social development in Guatemala, and is consequently the most in need of adequate housing. A total of 1,236 Habitat houses have been built in the region, reaching some 7,500 people.

Construction of the house in Guatemala is made possible by a contribution from Habitat of Collier County as part of Habitat for Humanity’s annual tithe program to help build houses around the world. Habitat Collier County has maintained a long-standing relationship with Habitat Guatemala since September 2004, when they first dedicated their yearly tithe towards Guatemala’s building efforts. To date, Habitat Collier County has financed the construction of more than 100 homes in Guatemala, and this year alone will support the construction of 32 houses.

To commemorate these wonderful events, a special prayer has been written in celebration of these milestone houses. See Celebratory Prayer.

Several national corporate partners have been instrumental in helping Habitat reach its latest major home-building milestone. For more information, see Snapshot of Habitat for Humanity’s National Partners and Sponsors.


About Habitat for Humanity of Collier County
Habitat for Humanity of Collier County is one of the oldest and largest producing Habitat affiliates in the nation. The local organization has built more than 1,100 homes in its 30-year history and is a leading provider of affordable, owner-occupied residences in Collier County. For more information, please visit www.HabitatCollier.org and find out how you can donate or volunteer today.

About Guatemala Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity Guatemala was the first national program in the Latin America/Caribbean region and has built more than 28,000 homes since its inception in 1979. Roughly one Habitat home is built in Guatemala every three hours, and the local organization accounts for some 50 percent of all Habitat homes built in the region. Please visit http://www.habitatguate.org/ to learn more about how you can become involved.