Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley and Thrivent Financial are partnering in Bethlehem to build a home alongside a local family through the Thrivent Builds Homes program.  Thrivent members and others will volunteer alongside the homeowners to help build the home.  To support safe, decent, and affordable housing in the Lehigh Valley, Thrivent has awarded $60,000 to support construction and local Thrivent members will also help raise additional funds.

Habitat for Humanity recipient families come from different backgrounds and have different stories, but they are all similar in their desire for a safe, decent place to live. Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley works with such families in the local community to provide a “hand-up” in regards to permanent housing solutions.  This year, they are partnering with Thrivent Financial to help another family build a foundation for a brighter future.

Thrivent Builds Homes is one of three Thrivent Builds programs which partners the financial, volunteer and advocacy resources of Thrivent Financial together with the affordable housing construction leadership of Habitat for Humanity. Thrivent Builds Homes focuses on building new homes alongside Habitat partner families who pay an affordable mortgage for their home as well as contribute hundreds of sweat equity hours in the construction process.  Thrivent Builds Repairs is a program that focuses on helping complete external repairs on existing homes and Thrivent Builds Worldwide sends teams of volunteers across the country or across the globe to build homes with recipient families.

Victoria Lilley, Community Engagement Leader with Thrivent Financial said, “The Thrivent Builds program provides us with more options to serve our area. The support we receive from the local community for projects like this is overwhelming and we look forward to working together in 2016.”

“The Thrivent Builds partnership is helping Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley increase the number of families served in our community by helping increase our capacity,” said Deb Cummins, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley. “We are so grateful for Thrivent’s support of our efforts to both build homes and repair homes in partnership with families in need of safe, decent, and affordable housing.  Together, we are changing a family’s life and strengthening the community.”

Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity is an ongoing partnership between Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity International. From the national partnership’s inception in 2005, Thrivent Financial and its members have now committed more than $226 million and more than 4.7 million volunteer hours.  This has resulted in thousands of families and individuals living in safe, decent, and affordable housing as well as hundreds of communities banding together to make a positive impact on local residents.

About Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity is a multi-year, multi-million dollar mission partnership between Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity International. Thrivent Builds is designed to involve Thrivent members and Christians in helping provide a “hand up” to people in need of affordable housing, offering them a path to greater economic independence. Excluding government funding, Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity is Habitat’s largest single source of funding, constructing and repairing more than 4,800 homes in the U.S. and around the world since 2005. For more information, visit ThriventBuilds.com.