Build Marks More Than Two Dozen Habitat Homes in the Todd Park Neighborhood
CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Habitat for Humanity of
Charlotte is receiving volunteer and financial support from GMAC Financial
Services, resulting in the creation of a new home for a local family that
will help revitalize the Todd Park neighborhood.
Construction for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home for the Charletta
Pauley family began this spring with the help of GMAC employees and local
volunteers. The home was completed in just three months as volunteers
worked side by side with the Pauley family. Pauley is the mother of two
teenagers, James, 17, and Johnda, 13, and has been active with Habitat for
Humanity projects for several years.
"I wanted something to call my own at the end of the day, because
paying rent wasn't the solution," said Pauley, a Charlotte native who will
close on her new home later this month. "The GMAC volunteers were such a
blessing to come out everyday and help my family build our first home."
Across the United States this summer, GMAC's support will include
funding to help build 16 Habitat homes, as well as additional homes in
Canada, Mexico and Australia. More than 1,000 GMAC associates will help
build the new homes this year.
"We are grateful for GMAC's dedication to helping families locally and
across the world to have a simple, decent place to call home," said Bert
Green, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte. "Working
together, we create more affordable housing opportunities for low-income
families."
Over the years, Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte has built more than
two dozen homes in the Todd Park neighborhood, drastically invigorating the
area. Many studies of low-cost housing show that affordable housing has no
adverse effect on neighborhood property values, according to Green.
"Affordable housing is a huge issue. But I believe that by continuing to
build houses with people in need, by working with groups such as GMAC, and
by putting the issue of affordable housing on the hearts and minds of
compassionate people everywhere, the problem can be solved," he said.
"We salute the important work of Habitat for Humanity in creating safe,
decent and affordable housing," said Mike Kimmel, Charlotte area vice
president, GMAC Financial Services. "GMAC associates are active on behalf
of Habitat because we believe in supporting the communities where we live
and work, and we know that homeowners play a vital role in building safe,
strong and healthy communities."
Terry Mulder, GMAC operations manager, said there has been tremendous
participation from GMAC employees willing to work on the Habitat home.
"We've worked hard, sweat a lot and laughed a lot. We bent some nails and
made some wrong cuts, but we helped each other out and learned to work as a
team to build a house together. The teamwork and sense of accomplishment
has proven to be a great experience for everyone involved."
GMAC supports efforts that strengthen and give back to communities,
particularly those focused on housing, financial literacy, human services,
education, youth and the arts.
Full-house sponsorships have been awarded to Habitat affiliates in
Charlotte, N.C.; Denver; Duquesne, Pa.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Sacramento,
Calif.; and Salt Lake City, as well as Mexico City. Additional funding and
GMAC volunteer support will be available from GMAC ResCap to Habitat
affiliates in Bethesda, Md.; Burbank and Universal City, Calif.; Charlotte,
N.C.; Orange County, Calif.; Dallas; Detroit; Philadelphia; Camden, N.J.;
Waterloo, Iowa; Toronto; and Sydney, Australia.
For more than 10 years, the financial and volunteer support offered by
GMAC has helped Habitat build and rehabilitate hundreds of homes.
Additionally, GMAC supports financial literacy and homeownership through
several activities including foreclosure prevention programs via GMAC
ResCap's HOPE for Homeowners initiative, the Homeownership Preservation
Foundation and financial literacy via SmartEdge by GMAC, a program designed
to educate consumers in the areas of credit, budgeting and choices
available when financing a home or vehicle. For more information on
foreclosure prevention programs call 888-995-HOPE and for more information
on financial literacy go to http://www.SmartEdgebyGMAC.com.
About Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte
Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity
International is a nonprofit, Christian organization dedicated to
eliminating poverty housing. Habitat brings together people with resources
and people in need to build simple, decent, affordable houses. The houses
are sold to those in need at no profit, through no interest loans. Habitat
Charlotte was founded in 1983 and has built over 700 houses in this
community. Habitat Charlotte is currently building over 60 homes throughout
the Charlotte area year round and always looking for volunteers and
deserving families. To find out more about how Charletta qualified for her
Habitat home visit http://www.habitatcharlotte.org.
About GMAC Financial Services
GMAC Financial Services is a global, diversified financial services
company that operates in approximately 40 countries in automotive finance,
real estate finance, insurance and other commercial businesses. GMAC was
established in 1919 and currently employs about 31,000 people worldwide. At
Dec. 31, 2006, GMAC held more than $287 billion in assets and earned net
income for 2006 of $2.1 billion on net revenue of $18.2 billion. For more
information, go to http://www.gmacfs.com.
GMAC ResCap is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of GMAC and a
leading real estate finance company, focused primarily on the residential
real estate market in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and
Latin America. For more information, go to http://www.gmacrescap.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 Americus, Ga., in 1976, Habitat has
built more than 225,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple,
decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more
information, visit http://www.habitat.org.
SOURCE GMAC Financial Services
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Related links:
http://www.gmacrfc.com
http://www.habitatcharlotte.org
http://www.SmartEdgebyGMAC.com http://www.gmacrescap.com
http://www.habitat.org
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/138832.html/
CONTACT:
Akilah Luke of Habitat for Humanity of
Charlotte, +1-704-716-5630, cell, +1-704-649-4689,
aluke@habitatcharlotte.org; or Jodi Ehlers Swanson of GMAC Media
Relations, +1-952-857-7343, cell, +1-612-240-1594,
jodi.ehlers@gmacrescap.com
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