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Jimmy & Rosalyn Carter Work Project
May 2008

Former president and first lady continue legacy with 25th annual
Habitat for Humanity Carter Work Project in Gulf Coast

ATLANTA and BILOXI, Miss. (Jan. 25, 2008) – For the 25th year, former U.S.
President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, will call attention to both the need for
affordable housing and Habitat for Humanity’s work to help low-income families realize the goal of homeownership. “While great strides have been made in the recovery efforts since hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the work is far from over,” said President Carter. “Rosalynn and I are pleased to be returning to the Gulf Coast to work with Habitat for Humanity. Along with the thousands of wonderful volunteers, Rosalynn and I look forward to creating not only new houses, but new awareness about the dire need for affordable housing in the Gulf.”
Biloxi and Pascagoula, Miss., still recovering from the devastating 2005 hurricane
season, will serve as host cities for the build. Throughout the five-day event on May 11- 16, thousands of volunteers will help construct and rehabilitate 60 houses and frame up to 48 more in the two cities. As part of the project, houses also will be built and repaired by volunteers in Gulf Coast communities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama. “As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Habitat for Humanity’s Carter Work Project, we’ll continue to focus on the long-term recovery efforts throughout the Gulf Coast region,” said Habitat for Humanity Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Reckford. “With the help of President and Mrs. Carter—along with the thousands of devoted volunteers who will join them—we’ll not only help further rebuild these communities by providing simple, decent, affordable housing, but we’ll also help restore hope and stability in the lives of families so severely impacted by the hurricanes.”
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed or damaged more than half-a-million houses
along the Gulf Coast. According to a 2007 RAND Corporation study, 60 percent of all
houses in Harrison County, Miss., which includes Biloxi, were damaged. More than
12,000 FEMA trailers are still in use today throughout Southern Mississippi.
In 2008, the annual, week-long event was renamed the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter
Work Project to recognize the former first lady’s years of dedicated service to help raise awareness and provide simple, decent and affordable housing in partnership with families in need.
“It is an honor to host the Carter Project,” said Chris Monforton, chief executive officer
of Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. “Habitat has done such great
work here on the Gulf Coast, but this event is an important reminder that many people in this region are still living with the hurricane's effects two years later. By raising
awareness about the need for affordable housing and rebuilding the Gulf Coast, we are one step closer to finding a solution.”
To date, Habitat for Humanity’s Gulf Coast Recovery program has completed or begun construction on more than 1,300 houses. In addition to building homes, Habitat also is working to serve as a catalyst, bringing together organizations to address low-income housing and recovery on a scale that Habitat alone would not be able to accomplish.
Habitat has also forged many other ongoing partnerships and collaborations with
community and faith groups and long-term recovery committees in the region. Habitat
has partnered with Church World Service to raise funds to repair homes for low-income families and with The Salvation Army to increase building capacity, volunteer
accommodations and affordability of homes along the Gulf Coast. Lutheran Social
Services and other Katrina Aid Today consortium members are engaged in assisting
families find appropriate housing solutions, including Habitat homes.
Volunteers can sign up to help build in a Gulf Coast community and donations can be made online at www.habitat.org.


25 Years of Building with the Carters
Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have been helping Habitat for Humanity shine the spotlight on the need for affordable housing since 1984. That year, the Carters led a small team of Habitat volunteers to New York City to help renovate a six-story apartment building with 19 families in need of decent, affordable shelter. A quarter of a century later, that modest effort has grown into an internationallyrecognized annual event that has taken place in communities around the world.

About Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Habitat for Humanity of the MS Gulf Coast (HFHMGC) serves Harrison, Jackson and
Stone counties. Since Katrina HFHMGC has completed and started construction on 170 homes. HFHMGC believes every family deserves a ‘place they can call home’, and as such they are committed to providing the Mississippi Gulf Coast with clean, decent affordable and safe homes. While eradication of poverty housing is a challenge in all locations, it is particularly challenging in the light of hurricane Katrina. For more information on HFHMGC and how to volunteer or donate, go to www.hfhmgc.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 www.habitat.org.

Jerry Kelly & Mickey Bradley Katrina Pro-Am

November 5, 2008

In the fall of 2006, PGA tour Rules Official Mickey Bradley and Corporate Communications Director for 84 Lumber, Jeff Nobers, approached Habitat for Humanity of the MS Gulf Coast with the idea of sponsoring a Pro-Am to benefit the gulf coast rebuilding efforts. Mickey Recruited touring pro Jerry Kelly who understood the need along the coast and together they recruited other players, businesses and corporations to support our first ever even, hosted by Shell Landing Golf Club and the Gulf Coast Golf Foundation.

As a result of the sponsorship support of the Beau Rivage, Mary Mahoney's, Opus Restaurant and Shell Landing Golf Club the event was an overwhelming success. Thanks to the efforts of the 22 tour pros, the City of Biloxi and 84 Lumber, 3 homes were constructed in East Biloxi.

THE 2nd ANNUAL JERRY KELLY & MICKEY BRADLEY
KATRINA TOUR PLAYERS PRO-AM Took Place on November 5, 2007 - Shell Landing Golf Club

We raised money to Help build 3 homes for Gulf Coast families with Habitat for Humanity. Each 3-person team hada PGA player at a quarter of the pirce of PGA Tour Pro-Ams!

2007 ATTENDEES: John Daly, Jerry Kelly, Heath Slocum, Joe Durant, Kelly Gibson, Woody Austin, Brian Bateman, Jerry Smith, Anthony Kim, Neal Lancaster, Harrison Frazar,Kent Jones.

Don't miss out in next year's event! Email lwhitmer@hfhmgc.org for information on the 2008 Tournament

Habitat Homeowners Graduate from Financial Management Course
September 13, 2007
Thirty-three Habitat homeowners graduated from a financial literacy course offered by Mercy Housing and Human Development. Having completed twelve hours of instruction, the families will now earn a $600 credit applied to their homeowner insurance. The credit is available through a Mercy Housing United Way grant.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and volunteers join Habitat for Humanity to celebrate milestone wall raising in Gulf Coast
May 21, 2007
Habitat for Humanity raised walls on its 1,000th and 1,001st homes in the Gulf Coast today to help low-income families affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The milestone house represents the organization’s goal to have 1,000 homes complete or under construction by mid 2007, and the 1,001st house represents the ongoing effort to help rebuild housing along the Gulf Coast.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn; joined musician and Habitat supporter, Branford Marsalis; Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford; Executive Director Jim Pate from New Orleans Area Habitat; and Chris Monforton, CEO of Habitat of the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Miss.; along with volunteers, staff members and supporters from across the Gulf Coast to help raise the walls.

5-day, 20 home Build in Gulfport!
May 21, 2007
Over 500 AmeriCorps members from across the country are partnering to build twenty (20) homes in Gulfport for low income, hurricane-affected families. The five day blitz build will begin on Monday, May 21, and end Friday, May 25. The 20 new Build-A-Thon homes on 45th street behind Memorial Hospital are part of a larger HFHMGC development in the Gulfport neighborhood. Eventually 40 new homes will be built by volunteers and Habitat families. Before the end of the year, HFHMGC hopes to complete over 125 homes for deserving families in Harrison and Jackson counties.


Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Gulf Coast to Dedicate Women Build Home
March 3, 2007
Gulfport women volunteers will join Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Gulf Coast and the Casey Family to dedicate their new home. Women volunteers from throughout the community who began hammering and sawing on November 1, 2006, will cheer as Kenya Casey and her four children receive the keys to their house during Saturday’s dedication.

Building Made Easier
February 28, 2007
Representatives from DeWALT will present $20,000 plus in power tools to Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Gulf Coast (HFHMGC). The tools will be used at HFHMGC construction sites in Harrison and Jackson counties.

Partnership With a Purpose
Jan. 16, 2007
Five families will have a place to call home within the next 3 months, thanks to a partnership between Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Gulf Coast (HFHMGC) and IP Casino Resort Spa. This Saturday, January 20, volunteers will continue raising walls and setting trusses at the five houses on Alexander Street in Biloxi. The completion date for the last house is scheduled for late April.

A Gesture of Gratitude
February 13, 2007
Brenda Berkman of the FDNY will bring 25 members of Women in the Fire Service to Hickory Hills in Gautier, MS, to build houses with Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Gulf Coast (HFHMGC). “I wanted to show appreciation for all that people from around the US did for NYC after 9/11. A friend suggested Habitat.”

Firefighters from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Kansas, Connecticut, Colorado, Illinois, Florida, Washington, Ohio, Missouri and Wisconsin will strap on tool belts and help construct homes for deserving families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, the worst natural disaster in this nation’s history. Michelle Crowley with the Biloxi Fire Department will represent the state of Mississippi.

New Kaboom! Playground
Jan. 30, 2007
Work on a playground for the children of Hickory Hills will become official! At 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30, the CEO of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), Jonathan Reckford, will present opening remarks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the construction of a KaBOOM! Playground in the Gautier community of Hickory Hills. Dave Petratis, President and CEO of Square D/Schneider Electric, a sponsor in the Hickory Hills development, will cut the ribbon to officially recognize the planned playground.