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Habitat completes selection process |
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Friday, 18 April 2008 |
 A new Saline County Habitat for Humanity family breaks ground for their house in Partnership Village in Benton. From left are Christopher Revas-Stephens, Codye Lynn Revas-Stephens, Brittney Revas and Sandra Revas, the mother. (Photo special to the Courier) Habitat for Humanity of Saline County has completed the family selection process for a house funded by Thrivent Builds, a Habitat partnership program that will affect more than 300 families this year.
This year will mark the beginning of a new life for the Revas family, Karma Herzfeld, Saline County affiliate executive director, said.
The family recently learned they had been selected to build a Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity house in Benton.
Thrivent Builds is a $125 million alliance between Habitat for Humanity International and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Herzfeld said.
This initiative will provide 65 percent of the construction costs of the Revas house. Area Thrivent chapters and Lutheran congregations will raise an additional 10 percent, while Habitat for Humanity of Saline County will fund the remaining 25 percent.
Because the need for affordable housing is so great, the desire to partner with Habitat for Humanity to build a home is also great, Herzfeld said. Families are chosen based on their need for decent housing, their ability to repay a no-profit, zero-interest mortgage and their willingness to help build their home or other Habitat for Humanity homes.
Because partnering with Habitat is a life-changing experience, selected families are often overwhelmed when told the good news.
“We can hardly wait to complete my 300 hours of sweat equity,” said Sandra Revas, future homeowner for the Thrivent Builds home. “This will change my family's life, to finally have a home we can call our own ... to have a safe, decent and affordable place to live will be a dream come true.”
The groundbreaking ceremony was held April 13.
While the Saline County organization will build one Thrivent Builds home this year, other Habitat affiliates in 42 states will build up to 322 homes in 2008, Herzfeld said.
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit Christian housing ministry. Since 1999, Saline County Habitat for Humanity has worked with 25 families to build homes. For more information, visit
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