FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Mary Anne Christensen, Director of Development, Beaches Habitat
TELEPHONE: (904)241-1222
EMAIL: MaryAnne@BeachesHabitat.org
EVENT DATE: November 14, 2009

BEACHES HABITAT CELEBRATES 200th HOME WITH ANNUAL BASH
November 14: House dedications @ 4 p.m. at 2523 & 2525 Haywood Estates Lane,
Beach Bash @ 5 p.m. at the Selva Marina Country Club

JACKSONVILLE BEACHES…. As 2009 comes to a close, Beaches Habitat for Humanity will celebrate a monumental event – the completion of its 200th and 201st homes in the Jacksonville Beaches! To commemorate the occasion, Beaches Habitat will host a traditional house dedication as well as a special-themed event, Beach Bash 2009: History in the Making.

“The ‘History in the Making’ theme was a logical choice for our annual event when you consider the significance of the occasion – having built 200 homes in a community of 50,000 is a feat unparalleled in Habitat affiliates throughout the nation,” said Executive Director Ralph Marcello.

This year’s Beach Bash event will take place at the Selva Marina Country Club and will feature live music by Mid-Life Crisis and heavy hors d’oeuvres from Bonefish Grill, Marker 32 Oyster Bar & Grill, Palm Valley Fish Camp, Ocean 60, Ragtime Tavern and Roy’s. The evening will also include comments from our newest homeowners (see below) and special recognition of longtime Beaches supporters, Nancy and Larry Huang.

Beaches Habitat’s 200th home is sponsored by Regency Centers and is located at 2325 Haywood Estates Lane (Mayport). Guests are invited to be a part of Beaches Habitat history by purchasing tools and square footage ($100/sq ft) for the organization’s 201st home and beyond.

For more information, to sponsor a square foot of our 201st home or to purchase tickets for $75, please visit beacheshabitat.org.

About the homeowners-to-be
In addition to a new home, partner families of Beaches Habitat receive lessons in home ownership, budgeting and credit. Children of homeowners also have access to a full scholarship to the University of North Florida through the Scheidel Scholarship. Future homeowner of the 200th home, Jessica Borges, says that she appreciates the educational aspect of the process, and in particular “being taught homeownership, as well as important financial lessons that will last a lifetime.”

Mira Wilson, a Hurricane Katrina survivor from New Orleans, will be living in Beaches Habitat’s 201st home. She says that more than anything, the experience has given her a sense of stability: “I always knew that I would be a homeowner because I knew I had the ability to succeed, but the Beaches Habitat program has made it easier to accomplish my goals and live the life I have always wanted. I would recommend the program to anyone.”

Special thanks to our event sponsors:
Jenkins-Wise Group, Merrill Lynch
BB&T

About Us
Beaches Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing in the Jacksonville Beaches. As an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, we seek to eliminate poverty housing and to make decent housing a matter of conscience and action. To this end, Beaches Habitat works in partnership with local families and volunteers to build simple, decent homes. Along with construction staff and volunteers, all of our partner families must work 300+ sweat equity hours to build their home and other Habitat homes. Upon completion, the homeowners then purchase the home from Beaches Habitat at no profit and with no interest charged – the money from which is used to build future Habitat homes.

www.BeachesHabitat.org
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