Category Archives: News

November 2 2007

PHILADELPHIA SOUL and the JIMMY CARTER WORK PROJECT 2007

The Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation was represented by Executive Director Mimi Box and Philadelphia Soul Fullback Matt Bernstein and Wide Receiver / Defensive Back Mike Brown. Matt and Mike were exceptional ambassadors on behalf of the Philadelphia Soul, the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation and the sport of arena football as they lent their efforts to building houses.

Please visit our Photo Gallery for more photographs taken on location at the Los Angeles build.

Following is the Official Press Release issued by Habitat For Humanity outlining the Jimmy Carter Work Project. We at the Soul are proud to be a part of this good work.

Former President Carter Joined Dignitaries, Celebrities and Volunteers From Around the World at Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy Carter Work Project 2007 in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29 — Nearly one in five of Los Angeles County’s 10 million residents live in poverty and the median cost of a home far exceeds the majority of the population’s reach. The statistics are staggering and the crisis is very real. To address the region’s lack of affordable housing, Los Angeles was chosen as the host city for Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy Carter Work Project 2007.

Yesterday, former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, joined city and state officials and volunteers from around the world to kick off the 24th Jimmy Carter Work Project (http://www.jcwpla.org/). The project is an intensive week-long build that takes place in a different location around the world each year.

“The first step to solving the affordable housing crisis in Los Angeles and throughout the world is to bring attention to the problem and ask concerned citizens to confront the issue,” said President Carter.

“Rosalynn and I are pleased to be in Los Angeles this week with thousands of Habitat volunteers and supporters to raise both walls and awareness of the power we each have to create significant change in communities throughout Los Angeles, our country, and the world.”

Habitat’s Jimmy Carter Work Project is extraordinary by its very concept: over the course of five days, thousands of volunteers will help low-income families take a giant step forward toward the dream of securing homeownership.

As part of the Jimmy Carter Work Project, 100 houses will be built or rehabilitated by the end of this year. This is also the first Jimmy Carter Work Project to seek LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for the build from the U.S. Green Building Council, making the homes more sustainable and affordable for the partner families. Thirty new Habitat homes will be built at two sites in South Los Angeles and San Pedro, and an additional 70 homes belonging to low-income families will be rehabilitated this week and through the end of the year in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles’ “A Brush with Kindness” program (http://www.habitatla.org/). This program is designed to help homeowners make repairs on homes they are not able to maintain due to physical or financial reasons.

An opening ceremony, held near one of the project’s build sites located in San Pedro, added fanfare to the event, with festivities celebrating volunteers and partner families. President Carter was joined by many of California’s civic leaders, who are committed to addressing the serious problems experienced by families living in substandard housing, including cost burden, overcrowding and compromised health. Participants and supporters included: Gov. Schwarzenegger, First Lady Maria Shriver, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Congresswomen Maxine Waters and Jane Harman, Los Angeles City Council members Janice Hahn, Bill Rosendahl, and Eric Garcetti, and Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo. Emceed by Paige Hemmis (“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”), other participants and supporters of the Jimmy Carter Work Project include country musician Garth Brooks, musician Trisha Yearwood, Blair Underwood (“Dirty Sexy Money” and “LA Law”), Lowe’s NASCAR and ALMS driver Adrian Fernandez, Patricia Heaton (“Back to You” and “Everybody Loves Raymond”), Scott Foley (“The Unit” and “Felicity”), Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break”), Nathalia Ramos (“Bratz”) and Glynn Turman (“The Wire” and “A Different World”).

“I am proud to welcome Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy Carter Work Project to Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “Homelessness and the lack of affordable housing are not just problems in the world’s poorest countries; they afflict people in the wealthiest cities and nations. We are excited about the positive impact that this international work project will have on our communities by increasing the supply of affordable housing in our city. Great things are possible when we work together to address these issues.”

The work that will be highlighted this week jump starts Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles’ “Building a Greater Los Angeles” campaign (http://www.habitatla.org/our_projects), a three-year commitment to build an additional 150 homes throughout Los Angeles County after the Jimmy Carter Work Project is completed. The campaign, co-chaired by Gov. Schwarzenegger and Mayor Villaraigosa, incorporates ongoing programs and events to provide tangible solutions to the region’s affordable housing crisis.

In a special appearance by Grammy award-winner Ricky Martin at the program, he said, “I am honored to continue my involvement with Habitat for Humanity by being here with you tonight. This is the start of an incredible campaign that will touch the lives of 250 families in the next three years, as well as the lives of all of us who are privileged enough to be a part of it. I have already been blessed with the opportunity of meeting and working alongside Habitat for Humanity families as we built dreams together … many more dreams will come true this week as the result of the hard work of everyone here tonight.”

At the kick-off, Habitat for Humanity International’s CEO Jonathan Reckford thanked the organization’s many partners for their support and tireless efforts to make Habitat’s Jimmy Carter Work Project successful and provide low-income families with safe, affordable housing.

“It is an honor to bring Habitat for Humanity’s highest-profile annual event to Los Angeles. It will not only help families in this community, but also send the message that safe, affordable housing is an important part of a family’s security and well-being, no matter what location they call home,” said Reckford. “We have been a leader in developing affordable housing and taking the initiative to ensure our homes are both affordable and sustainable, and we are proud to have taken steps to build affordable housing with cost- savings and ease of upkeep for families.”

Erin Rank, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles’ President and CEO, brought the area’s need for affordable housing into sharp focus in discussing the reasons for the organization’s three-year “Building a Greater Los Angeles” campaign.

“Today, the median income of renter households in Los Angeles is about $35,500, while the median price for a home is approximately $549,000, making decent, affordable housing all but out of reach for hard working people of modest means,” said Rank. “Additionally, less than three percent of new units built in Los Angeles County are considered affordable housing. These are statistics we want to change, and we hope to unify Los Angeles residents to actively engage in a solution to the affordable housing crisis in this area through the Jimmy Carter Work Project and ‘Building a Greater Los Angeles’ campaign.”

Players Represent Soul Organization On Location at LA Build Site

The campaign has already implemented multiple programs that target people from all walks of life to become proactive on this issue. Specifics of the campaign include the “A Brush with Kindness” program, which will rehabilitate homes for low-income families (http://www.habitatla.org/abwk); “Nickels for Nails,” which engages young people in community service projects to fund and build a home that is 100 percent sponsored by youth (http://www.habitatla.org/youth_programs); sponsorship of a recent housing symposium that brought together community leaders to address Los Angeles-area housing issues; and additional outreach, education, volunteer and fundraising initiatives.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles is among a growing number of Habitat for Humanity affiliates incorporating building elements that improve the affordability and sustainability for home-owners and the communities in which they live.

Sponsors making the Jimmy Carter Work Project 2007 possible include:
* The Ahmanson Foundation * KPMG * Arden Realty, Inc. * Lowe’s * Bank of America * Materials Matter * Beach Cities Friends & Capital * Majestic Lighting * Bentley Prince Street Carpet * Mobile Mini Group Foundation * MoneyGram International * Chevron * Nissan North America * Citi * ORCO Construction Supply * City of Burbank * The PMI Group, Inc. * City of Los Angeles * The Port of Los Angeles * City of Lynwood * Presbyterian Coalition * City of Santa Monica * PriceWaterhouse Coopers * Clear Channel Outdoor * Regency Centers * Conduit Development * Rinnai * Contessa Premium Foods * Schneider Electric * Continental Development * Sempra Energy Corporation * Sennott Family Foundation * Crail-Johnson Foundation * Shady Acres * Creative Artists Agency * Simpson Strong Tie * DIY Network * Sony Pictures * The Dow Chemical Company * Schneider Electric * Endeavor * Squid & Squash Foundation * Fannie Mae * State of California * Federal Home Loan Bank of * Thomas A. Middeler & San Francisco Kristine Middeler Kinsey * Ferguson * Sony Pictures * Folgers Gourmet Selections * Time Warner * Goodman/Geary Pacific * Togawa Smith Martin Supply * Union Bank of California * Global Green * United Talent Agency * HARDI * Valspar * Hilton Hotel * The Walt Disney Company * The Home Depot * Waste Management * IBEW * Weyerhaeuser Company * James Hardie Foundation * Jon Bon Jovi/Philadelphia Soul * The Werner Co. Charitable Foundation * Whirlpool Corporation * Kaiser Permanente * William Morris Agency

About the Jimmy Carter Work Project
Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy Carter Work Project is an annual, internationally recognized event in which the former U.S. president and his wife join Habitat volunteers to build simple, decent and affordable homes in partnership with people in need of both housing and hope. President Carter has been personally involved in the construction of Habitat homes around the world that provide shelter to more than 10,000 people. For more information, visit http://www.habitat.org/how/carter or http://www.jcwpla.org/.

About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles strives to eliminate poverty housing through advocacy, education and partnership with families in need to build simple, decent affordable housing. Since 1990, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles has built more than 200 homes, transforming the lives of hundreds of individuals. In the spring of 2007, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles kicked off its three-year “Building a Greater Los Angeles” campaign to build or rehabilitate 250 homes in Los Angeles County. For more information, visit http://www.habitatla.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 250,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit http://www.habitat.org/.

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October 23 2007

PHILADELPHIA SOUL TEAM UP with PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF AMERICA (PRSA) FOR DAY OF VOLUNTEERING

The public relations experts lent both brain and brawn to the non-profits participating in the day of volunteer service dubbed PRoject Soul Arise (a play on the organization’s own acronym, PRSA.)

At the HABITAT FOR HUMANITY / BON JOVI HOMES SITE on Titan Street, PRSA volunteers helped finish the construction of the homes.

At the BETHESDA PROJECT – OUR BROTHERS’ PLACE, PRSA volunteers were on site preparing meals and playing games with residents after lunch.

At the NORTHERN HOME FOR CHILDREN, volunteers painted portions of the structure and participated in brainstorming sessions on how to better address the public relations needs of the non-profit organization.

Special thanks to all our non-profit partners who helped keep the convention-goers so busy on Friday and made their visit to Philadelphia some special for us all.

The more than thirty PRSA members were in Philadelphia to attend the annual PRSA International Conference at the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown (Oct 20 – 23.)

About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
The Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org), headquartered in New York City, is the world’s largest organization for public relations professionals. The Society has more than 31,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 109 Chapters nationwide, 19 Professional Interest Sections, along with Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has more than 285 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

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August 23 2007

HOMEBUYERS GRADUATION PHOTO

The official ‘Graduation Picture’ for the families who will be moving into the renovated rowhouses on the 1800 and 1900 blocks of N. 23rd Street in North Philadelphia. Announced during the October 5, 2006 Press Conference, the reconstruction of these environmentally friendly homes from their former shells was made possible through the Phase V Homeownership Project and the groundbreaking combined efforts of Project HOME, The Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and Saturn. Congratulations!

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PHASE V Homeownership PROGRESS UPDATES

Since the October 5th launch of the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation and the announcement of the rebuilding of fifteen rowhouses in North Philadelphia as part of the PHASE V Homeownership Program with Project H.O.M.E., the progress has been impressive.

Members of the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation regularly visit the build location. The photo above was snapped in January 2007.

Six months later, on another of the Soul Foundation staff’s visits to the North 23rd Street build site, it was easy to see the continued progress.

The photo to the right was taken in June 2007.

Please visit the PHOTO GALLERY section of this website for more images taken at both the January 2007 and June 2007 walk-thrus.

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March 17 2007

PHILADELPHIA SOUL, DELTA AIRLINES & HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TEAM UP TO BUILD HOMES in BROOKLYN

Working with Habitat for Humanity – New York City, Delta volunteers are helping complete Habitat-NYC’s Halsey Street project in Bedford-Stuyvesant, and the airline is pledging financial support to build at Habitat-NYC’s Atlantic Avenue project in Ocean Hill-Brownsville. The two projects are part of Delta’s Force for Global Good, a global initiative with a focus on uniting the airline’s employees and customers in support of corporate philanthropic and social responsibility efforts.

Today, Jon Bon Jovi, Habitat for Humanity’s Founding Ambassador, is partnering with Delta Chief Financial Officer Ed Bastian and 40 Delta employees from the New York area and around the country to kick off the two-day build that will help complete a nine-unit, three-story condominium complex on Halsey Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard. Three members of the Philadelphia Soul, which is co-owned by Bon Jovi, also joined the Habitat build team, including Sean Scott, Duane Missouri , Phil Bogle and Mike Brown. At the build site, Bastian presented a check to Jon Bon Jovi’s Philadelphia Soul Foundation, which will be used to fund multiple Habitat homes, including Habitat-NYC’s Atlantic Avenue project.

In December 2006, Jon joined Delta to announce the formation of Delta’s Force for Global Good and its first official partner, Habitat for Humanity International. The two organizations convened in Johannesburg, South Africa to build four homes in the Katlehong township as part of the airline’s first global build. Delta’s Force for Global Good leverages the combined assets of Delta’s vast global network of nearly 47,000 employees who volunteer their time and Delta’s charitable foundation to support the global communities where Delta customers and employees live and work.

SOUL Team Members at BROOKLYN Build Site

“Delta is proud to join forces again with Jon and Habitat for Humanity International, our Delta’s Force for Global Good founding partner, to pledge our physical and financial commitment to creating much-needed, affordable housing,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief financial officer. ”As New York City’s largest airline, it is only fitting we are participating in these two very important Brooklyn builds.”

”In my role as a Habitat for Humanity Ambassador, I’m pleased to see that a global company like Delta Air Lines has committed both funding and the time of its employees to the work of Habitat,” said Jon Bon Jovi. ”I can speak from experience that Delta’s employees who are committing their time to Habitat will feel proud and moved by their dedicated efforts. They will encourage others to become involved and share in the rebuilding of their own communities.”

“We are delighted that Delta Air Lines and its volunteers, side by side with Jon Bon Jovi and members of the Philadelphia Soul, are giving their support — and their labor — to build homes for New Yorkers in need,” said Roland Lewis, executive director of Habitat for Humanity – New York City. “Delta, with its strong base of employees in New York City, understands the depth our city’s housing crisis and is committed to working, not just for these two days, but for the cause.”

The completion of the Halsey Street Project will bring the number of Habitat homes in Bedford-Stuyvesant to 41. Nicknamed “The Coffee Cup Building,” this is one of the first structures in New York City to incorporate energy-efficient Insulated Concrete Forms, made of polystyrene similar to insulated coffee cups. The forthcoming Atlantic Avenue project is a 41-unit “green” complex, located at Atlantic Avenue and Eastern Parkway, will offer affordable one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums to eligible New Yorkers. Scheduled to break ground shortly, the new condominiums will be part of a national model project in affordable green building and are being built to meet the highest healthy and energy-efficient “green” standards. Habitat-NYC homeowners will benefit from eco-friendly building materials and methods that protect their health, as well as lower energy bills to help keep their homes affordable. The development includes three buildings, each with its own entrance lobby with mailboxes, a community room, laundry room and access to the shared, landscaped yard. The yard will be designed for passive recreation, with seating areas, landscaped areas and garden areas.

ABOUT JON BON JOVI
Jon Bon Jovi is the first Founding Ambassador of the Habitat for Humanity Ambassador program. His support for Habitat for Humanity began in 2005 when he provided the funds to build six homes in Philadelphia and worked to build the homes with the homeowner families and members of his Philadelphia Soul Arena Football Team. Later, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Jon Bon Jovi surprised Oprah Winfrey with a check from his band for $1 million. Bon Jovi, Habitat, and Oprah’s Angel Network built 29 homes in Houma, La. with low-income families previously displaced by the natural disaster. Then, in October 2006, Jon announced a unique partnership he brokered between Project H.O.M.E., Habitat for Humanity, the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation and Saturn to renovate 15 row houses in one of Philadelphia’s most poverty-ridden neighborhoods. Including those 15 homes, Jon is currently a motivating force behind a total of 49 homes being built in partnership with low-income families.

ABOUT DELTA
Delta and its partners offer customers more flights to more destinations from New York City’s two preferred airports combined — John F. Kennedy International and New York-LaGuardia — than any other airline. Delta Air Lines (Other OTC: DALRQ) offers customers service to more destinations than any global airline with Delta and Delta Connection carrier service to 307 destinations in 52 countries. With more than 60 new international routes added in the last year, Delta is America’s fastest growing international airline and is a leader across the Atlantic with flights to 31 trans-Atlantic destinations. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 600 weekly flights to 58 destinations. Delta’s marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on nearly 15,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 456 worldwide destinations in 100 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.

ABOUT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
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 Americus, Ga., in 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than one million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.