Release No. 06032004

Date: June 3, 2004                                                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Romey Brooks, Public Relations
             Dee Danmeyer, Executive Director
             Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, MD
             4 East Church Street
             Frederick, MD 21701

Phone: 301/846-0430 (Brooks) or 301/698-2449 (Habitat)

Fax: 301/668-9238 (Brooks) or 301/698-1697 (Habitat)

Email: romey.brooks@adelphia.net or director@frederickhabitat.org

Mt. St. Mary’s and United Methodist Churches Form Unique Partnership

Mt. St. Mary’s College and Seminary and the United Methodist Churches of Frederick County will jointly sponsor a new Habitat for Humanity home in Emmitsburg, MD. The home will be one of two Habitat intends to build in a section of Silo Hill near other homes Interfaith Housing Alliance is building. The lots for the affordable housing units were a gift of the Ausherman Family.

In proposing the arrangement, UMC Steering Committee Chair Larry Snody wrote Habitat President Billy Shreve saying “the sponsorship…includes all aspects of the Habitat build with the exception of land acquisition costs and partner family selection.” Habitat has spent close to $40,000 developing the first lot. The sponsors’ plan is to cover all other costs through fund raising, contractors’ donated services, in-kind donations and volunteer labor.

In announcing the Mount’s participation, college spokesperson George Gelles said “Habitat for Humanity is an outstanding organization providing a vital service to our communities. The Mount is very proud to join the United Methodist Churches in providing affordable housing in Emmitsburg.”

Even though construction will not start till the spring of 2005, Habitat is currently recruiting a candidate family. To qualify, a family must have lived in Frederick County one year, be currently living in sub-standard housing, have an income between $30,000 and $42,500 and have an acceptable credit rating. Once qualified as a partner family, it agrees to complete a negotiated number of sweat equity hours before becoming homeowners. Normally for a family of four this ranges between 300-500 hours.

Construction is expected to take twelve to sixteen weeks. As is customary on Habitat building projects, a construction supervisor coordinates the work of other professional contractors and supervises the volunteers to assure compliance with building codes and safety requirements.

The Frederick County United Methodists have completed one other home for Habitat in Brunswick. Dedication of this home is expected shortly after installation of the sewer line is complete. This home will be the twentieth Habitat has built in less than ten years.

Mt. St. Mary’s has had an active college chapter of Habitat for Humanity. During spring breaks, students have traveled to the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida to help build Habitat homes. Construction during the 2005 spring semester will provide the Mt. St. Mary’s students and faculty a chance to help build a Habitat home less than three miles from their campus.

The Mt. St. Mary’s - United Methodist Churches joint sponsorship of a Habitat project is a first in Frederick County, one that representatives of the three groups hope will set a precedent.

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