For Immediate Release
May 17, 2005
Contact: Becky Fleischauer, NeighborWorks America, 202-220-2360; bfleischauer@nw.org
Ron DeFeo, The Home Depot Foundation, 770-384-3179; ron_defeo@homedepot.com
NeighborWorks® Week: Changing America One Block at a Time —
NeighborWorks America and The Home Depot Team Up to Transform Neighborhoods
(Washington, DC) – More than 30,000 people in hundreds of communities nationwide will be out repairing homes, planting community gardens, and teaching families how they can share in the American Dream of homeownership during the largest volunteer community-revitalization event of its kind, National NeighborWorks Week (June 4-11). This year NeighborWorks America will team up with The Home Depot Foundation to enlist the largest volunteer force in the history of NeighborWorks Week.
President Bush commended the event in a letter, saying: “I appreciate all those involved with National NeighborWorks Week for serving a cause greater than self. Your good works demonstrate the compassion of our country and help change America for the better.”
“The work accomplished during NeighborWorks Week is profound, but even more impressive are the results that live on far after NeighborWorks week concludes — the increase in property values, the lives transformed through homeownership, the sense of pride and responsibility for one’s home and community, and much more,” said Kenneth D. Wade, chief executive officer of NeighborWorks America, which created and supports a network of more than 235 NeighborWorks community groups across the nation.
“Volunteer service and building healthy communities are core values of The Home Depot Foundation, and that is why we were so excited to sponsor this year's National NeighborWorks Week,” said Kelly Caffarelli, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. “This week of service has been positively impacting communities across the country for over 21 years and is a great demonstration of what neighbors can accomplish by working together. We are proud to be mobilizing over 1,500 associates and suppliers of The Home Depot to partner with NeighborWorks America and its network organizations to repair homes, landscape properties, build playgrounds, strengthen communities and transform lives.”
To draw attention to the far-reaching impact housing issues have on Americans, NeighborWorks America released a “Did You Know?” housing fact sheet that includes the following statistics:
- A national poll shows that voters rank housing as their third greatest concern, just behind health care and the economy.
- A survey of consumer finances found that low-income homeowners had a net worth 12 times that of renters at the same income level.
- Homeownership education and counseling reduces delinquent payments by a third and cuts default rates in half.
- Nearly 40 percent of consumers falsely believe lenders are required by law to give borrowers the best possible mortgage rates, and thus fail to shop around and demand better rates.
- Homeowners are more likely to vote in local elections and be involved in improving their communities.
- For every dollar spent on creating more affordable housing, at least $10 dollars are returned in the form of job creation, increased independence, tax revenue, new businesses and access to higher education.
*View the entire “Did You Know?” fact sheet at: www.nw.org/network/newsroom/documents/DIDYOUKNOW.pdf
The theme of this year’s 22nd annual NeighborWorks Week – “Making a Difference: Changing America One Block at a Time” – features a host of activities that focus attention on strengthening communities, closing homeownership gaps, and empowering consumers to improve their financial positions. Events include:
- Sacramento NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center presents the “Money Smart” curriculum to community members, who are participating in a matched savings plan;
- The inspection, repair and beautification of 20-25 homes located in Chicago’s Roseland low-to-moderate income neighborhood;
- Setting up a barn and playground in the community garden on Staten Island, New York;
- A celebration of new homeowners in Chicago, providing home improvement demonstrations such as wall papering, gardening, landscaping, fixing a porch, etc.;
- A homebuyer orientation session in Miami, Florida providing tips on topics ranging from how to avoid scams to hurricane preparedness to managing personal credit and finding the right mortgage; and,
- Flyers on the dangers of predatory lenders will be distributed in Minneapolis, MN
*A complete list of National NeighborWorks Week activities is available at www.nw5.org/events/
About NeighborWorks America
NeighborWorks America provides financial support, technical assistance and training for communities across the nation, including the NeighborWorks network – a nationwide network of more than 235 community development organizations working in more than 2,700 urban, suburban and rural communities across America. These organizations engage in revitalization strategies that strengthen communities and transform lives. In the last five years alone, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $8.5 billion in reinvestment and helped more than 500,000 families of modest means purchase or improve their homes or secure safe, decent rental or mutual housing.
About The Home Depot Foundation
The Home Depot Foundation invests in nonprofit organizations that are in the business of building better communities. The Home Depot and many of the suppliers who help fill the company’s shelves contribute to The Home Depot Foundation to help fulfill their shared vision of creating stronger, healthier neighborhoods. The Foundation focuses its efforts in the areas of affordable, efficient and healthy housing production and rehabilitation and tree planting to restore urban and rural forests. See www.homedepotfoundation.org for more information.
