THRIVENT FINANCIAL FOR LUTHERANS- THE ORGANIZATION

We live our lives in relative comfort and security. We go to work, we send our kids to school, we gather at the dinner table. For most of us, we're safe in the knowledge that the roofs over our heads won't leak. But for more than five million American families - and countless more around the world - living in poverty housing is the order of each day. That roof does leak. Wallboard is soaked and stained - if there is wallboard. Plumbing fails. Lights flicker. Bugs reside as squatters.

Millions of people-from families with small children to elderly couples on a fixed income-live in houses that are overcrowded, unhealthy, even dangerous. People living in these conditions struggle to achieve even the most foundational needs: food, water, safety and rest. When survival needs go unmet, families cannot turn their attention to higher needs such as education, emotional health, career and healthy relationships. Living in substandard conditions yields a constant mix of despair, stress and a preoccupation with "getting by."

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity are joining together in an unprecedented alliance that will put the faith of Lutherans and their communities into action to help families in need move into the economic mainstream and put an end to poverty housing. It takes many hands to build a home with Thrivent Builds. Dedicated volunteers from local Thrivent Financial chapters, congregations and communities join together with local Habitat affiliates and partner families to make Thrivent Builds Homes a success.

Together these individuals change many lives-often including their own-and in the course of building homes, they also build lasting friendships and stronger communities.

Through Thrivent Builds Homes, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will sponsor the construction of hundreds of additional Habitat for Humanity homes every year in the United States by combining the efforts of 2.8 million Thrivent Financial members with Lutheran congregations and institutions, communities, partner families and Habitat affiliates. More than two-thirds of the funding for each home will be contributed by Thrivent Financial, its members and local chapters. The remaining funding will be raised through the ongoing efforts of local Lutheran congregations and Habitat affiliates.

Thrivent Financial is committed to helping its members show their care and concern for others. Since 1991, Thrivent Financial and its members have worked with Habitat for Humanity to build more than 500 homes, raise more than $25 million and contribute more than 1.4 million volunteer hours in homebuilding time. Besides the unprecedented level of financial and volunteer support this new program will bring to Habitat for Humanity, what makes Thrivent Builds Homes different than these past efforts is the new era of collaboration between the two organizations. With Thrivent Builds more homes can be built in less time than was possible with past programs.

In addition, all Habitat affiliates tithe (that is, take 10% of funds raised) to support building Habitat homes in other countries. Tithing from Thrivent Builds Homes contributions will allow up to 500 additional homes to be constructed around the world.

Thrivent Builds is a new financial, volunteer and advocacy alliance formed between Thrivent Financial for LutheransR and Habitat for HumanityR International. The initiative includes four programs to help end poverty housing and help families achieve greater economic independence:

• Thrivent Builds Homes is a national program that joins the nearly 3 million Thrivent Financial members with Habitat for Humanity volunteers, other Lutherans, their families and their communities to build up to 500 homes in the U.S. annually by 2008.
• Thrivent Builds Giving is a program offered by Thrivent Financial to its members, in which Thrivent Financial contributes $1 for every $2 its members donate to Habitat for Humanity, up to a maximum supplement of $300 per member annually. Funds raised through Thrivent Builds Giving will support Habitat for Humanity. The goal is to raise $2 million annually by 2008.
• Thrivent Builds Worldwide is a program of short-term (one- to three-week) international and domestic working trips for individuals or groups to build Habitat houses in partnership with families facing critical housing needs.
• Thrivent Builds Neighborhoods will provide multiple grants each year to community organizations, coalitions and nonprofits for projects that will measurably improve poverty housing in specific neighborhoods.

Habitat for Humanity has an established selection process in place and will lead this facet of the program. (Thrivent Financial will not be involved in the selection process.) Families in need of decent shelter apply to their local Habitat affiliate. Habitat's criteria for selecting homeowners includes: minimum and maximum income requirements, a family's willingness to contribute sweat equity and their ability to repay a no-profit mortgage loan. Every affiliate follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Race, religion and marital status are not factors in choosing the families who become Habitat homeowners.