Syracuse Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter receives State Farm? grant

Syracuse Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter receives State Farm? grantMarch 26, 2009Rhondalynn Richards

Syracuse Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter has been selected to receive a $10,000 matching grant from State Farm for its outstanding work in building safe, decent and affordable homes.

Syracuse University has invited State Farm to participate in a build day and lunch on March 28 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 214 Merriman St., Syracuse. Additionally, local State Farm employees will be involved in activities to help eliminate substandard housing in the community and to help many make the dream of home ownership a reality.

A campus chapter is a student-led, student-initiated organization on a high school or college campus that partners with the local Habitat affiliate to build, fund raise, advocate and educate to support the work of Habitat for Humanity. Syracuse Campus Chapter partners with Syracuse Habitat for Humanity and has helped build more than five houses since 1991.

“We are grateful for the Habitat for Humanity Youth Programs grant made possible by State Farm,” says Campus Chapter President Jim Armstrong. “Our local Syracuse community youth are the future of Habitat.”

Syracuse Campus Chapter is one of 28 campus chapters to be awarded a matching grant from State Farm, the national corporate sponsor of Habitat for Humanity’s youth programs. To qualify for the State Farm grant, Syracuse Campus Chapter must raise a matching amount. The grant will be used to build houses in the community.

Since 2007, State Farm has served as the official corporate sponsor of Habitat for Humanity Youth programs, with a sponsorship commitment of more than $1 million in grants each year. In addition to sponsoring youth programs, State Farm offices contribute more than $500,000 annually to Habitat affiliates across the United States.

The campus chapter program is one of the many Habitat for Humanity youth programs designed to capture the energy and hope of young people worldwide, ages 5-25, to involve them as leaders in the work of Habitat. There are currently more than 540 Habitat campus chapters across the country.

About Syracuse Habitat for Humanity Campus ChapterSyracuse Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter has been educating, advocating, building and fund raising since 1991. To learn more, visit http://www.syracusehabitat.org/.

Students are involved in a course that is taught as part of the curriculum at SU. “Students work hard in the area of advocacy hosting events all through the year to help educate the public. Syracuse Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter is well organized and dedicated to the mission of improving the community, in particular when it relates to the shortage of decent and affordable housing,” says Syracuse Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Suzanne Williams.

About Habitat for Humanity InternationalHabitat 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 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. For more information, visit http://www.habitat.org.

About State FarmState Farm insures more cars and homes than any other insurer in the U.S., is the leading insurer of watercraft and is also a leading insurer in Canada. State Farm’s 17,000 agents and 68,000 employees serve more than 78 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and more than 1.9 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 32 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, visit http://statefarm.com.