Getting Involved Is Easy — Ask the Expert

Questions for Julie Donovan, Habitat for Humanity Lake County executive director, and Andy Locke, manager of Lutheran community services, Chicagoland

Q: Why are Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity expanding their relationship?

A: Andy Locke: It just makes sense. Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity share common values—both are faith-based and both demonstrate their faith by helping others. The relationship makes business sense, too. Thrivent Financial helps individuals and families build their assets to meet financial needs and give back to their communities.

As a fraternal benefit society, it's important that Thrivent Financial make a societal impact. Habitat is very effective at working with and helping families in need by partnering with them to build a home and future for their families.

Q: Why is Thrivent Financial supporting the housing cause?

A: Locke: A home is the biggest asset most families own and a key ingredient to achieving economic independence. Helping hundreds of families get on the path toward economic independence fits well with our business purposes of helping members achieve their financial goals and care for others.

Q: How are homes being funded with the Thrivent Builds with Habitat initiative?

A: Julie Donovan: Thrivent Financial will fund 70 percent of the cost of 10 to 15 builds in each of their regions across the country annually. Thrivent chapters are responsible for raising a third of the remaining funds, while local Habitat affiliates will be responsible for raising the rest.

Q: How long will this alliance continue?

A: Locke: Our goal is to make this work for years to come. It will take at least a couple years to achieve the scale both organizations seek, such as our goal of building 500 homes annually in the United States through Thrivent Builds Homes. Once those numbers are reached, both organizations hope to continue the alliance year after year.

Q: How much do Thrivent Builds houses cost?

A: Donovan: Costs vary based on the geographic location of the build and other factors. The average Habitat home built for this program is expected to range from about $40,000 to $150,000. Habitat houses are considered "affordable" for low-income families because there is no profit included in the sale price and mortgage, which can vary in length from seven to 30 years.

When you support a Thrivent Builds project in your community, the impact of your efforts reaches even farther, thanks to Habitat's tithing policy. Ten percent of the cost of each home is tithed to Habitat's global ministry to help build homes in other countries.

Q: When will a build come to my community?

A: Locke: Beginning in 2006, about 10 to 15 homes will be built annually in each Thrivent Financial region across the country. Site locations will be identified by the end of this year and updated on www.thriventbuilds.com. You also can call 800-236-3736 for more information.

Q: Why are Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity expanding their relationship?

A: Locke: It just makes sense. Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity share common values—both are faith-based and both demonstrate their faith by helping others. The relationship makes business sense too. Thrivent Financial helps individuals and families build their assets to meet financial needs and give back to their communities. As a fraternal benefit society, it’s important that Thrivent Financial make a societal impact with the benevolent money it spends. Habitat is very effective at working with and helping families in need by partnering with them to build a home and future for their families.

Q: How can my congregation get involved?

A: Locke: Organize a group to work at a build or do a fund-raiser. Congregations will play a key role in the success of Thrivent Builds. Thrivent Financial, through the Thrivent Builds program, will fund 70 percent of the total approved cost for each home. The remaining funds will be raised through the combined, ongoing local efforts of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans chapters and Habitat affiliates. Also, a large portion of the volunteer support will come from Thrivent Financial members and Lutheran congregations

Q: How can I get involved in Thrivent Builds if I live in an area without any builds

A: Locke: Two of the four Thrivent Builds programs do not require involvement in a local build. Thrivent Builds Worldwide enables members to participate in short-term working volunteer trips. Thrivent Builds Giving allows members to contribute directly to Habitat for Humanity and supplements their gifts.

Q: How is this different than our previous work with Habitat?

A: Locke: It’s bigger! Between 1991 and 2004, Thrivent Financial and its predecessor organizations sponsored 500 Habitat homes. Now, through Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity, we anticipate building a total of nearly 500 homes annually across the country. Currently, Thrivent Financial is the seventh largest contributor to Habitat, and we expect to become the single largest contributor by 2008. For the past several years, Thrivent Financial support of Habitat builds was through a program called Building Hope … Building Homes. The program was managed at the regional level by people like me—managers of Lutheran community services (MLCS)—who awarded grants of $5,000 to $40,000 to a handful of local Habitat affiliates to help support builds in their area. Thrivent chapters had an opportunity to participate in those builds, but it was not a requirement of the grant. Through Thrivent Builds, 70 percent of the cost will be funded for the individual homes. Through their Thrivent chapters, members will be actively involved in raising a portion of the remaining funding along with local Habitat affiliates. Members also will make up a substantial percentage of the volunteers who participate in Thrivent Builds projects. Both Thrivent Financial and Habitat were heavily involved in the development and planning of the Thrivent Builds program, which is designed to meet the needs of both organizations. Thrivent Builds incorporates three new program elements—Thrivent Builds Worldwide, Thrivent Builds Giving and Thrivent Builds Neighborhoods—that significantly expand the purpose and impact of this alliance.

Q: Why did we choose Habitat for Humanity, instead of a Lutheran organization?

A: Locke: While Habitat is not a Lutheran organization, it is a faith-based organization with a mission that aligns well with that of Thrivent Financial. It also is an organization many Lutherans, including Thrivent Financial members, already support. Habitat has systems in place that will allow members of Thrivent Financial and other Lutherans great opportunities to volunteer and demonstrate their care for others.

Q: My church is planning a mission trip. How do we get support from Thrivent Financial?

A: Locke: Thrivent Builds Worldwide is designed to support congregational mission trips to build with Habitat. For more information on how your church can form a Thrivent Builds Worldwide Lutheran Community trip, visit www.thriventbuilds.com and click on the “Worldwide Trip” tab.

Q: How are families selected for Thrivent Builds Homes?

A: Locke: Thrivent Financial is not involved in the selection of families receiving homes. With its established selection process already in place, Habitat for Humanity will lead this facet of the program. Families in need of decent shelter apply to their local Habitat affiliate. Habitat’s criteria for selecting homeowners includes: Demonstrated need, including current living situation and minimum and maximum income requirements; a family’s willingness to partner in the program and to help build their home and the homes of others, which Habitat calls “sweat equity"; the family’s 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 purchase Habitat houses.

Q: How old do you have to be to participate in a Thrivent Builds project? Can our youth group plan a day on a building site?

A: Locke: Every state has different minimum age requirements for working on a construction site. Since Habitat affiliates are required to comply with their state’s laws, you will need to check with your local affiliate for specific guidelines. Generally, Habitat recommends that volunteers involved in construction activities on a build site be at least 18 years old, and that no one younger than 16 be allowed on the build site when construction is taking place. Younger children may be involved in fund-raisers to support a build or related service projects, such as planting flower boxes for Habitat houses. For Thrivent Builds Worldwide trips, applicants between the ages of 14 and 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, unless with an institution (school or church).

Q: Will these builds accommodate volunteers who are not Thrivent Financial members?

A: Donovan: Yes. Thrivent Builds will help engage Lutherans and concerned members of communities in service with Habitat. You do not have to be a member of Thrivent Financial—or Lutheran—to volunteer.

Q: If my church group didn’t sign up to volunteer, is it too late to help?

A: Donovan: No. The Thrivent Builds with Habitat relationship is just getting started, with the successful completion of two pilots in the Detroit and Chicago areas during the summer and fall of 2005. That means there will be many more opportunities for Lutherans and others beginning in 2006 and continuing for years.

Q: Why are some of the builds taking place at different times of the year?

A: Donovan: Weather conditions and other related factors play a role in determining when building will take place in some areas of the country. In the Chicago area, for example, most of the building will be done in summer and early fall, to avoid the challenges of winter. In more southern regions, builds may be more likely to occur in winter and spring, to avoid the heat of summer.

Q: How do other volunteers react to the alliance between Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity?

A: Donovan: While some people aren’t familiar with Thrivent Financial, they definitely show great appreciation for the major commitment Thrivent Financial is making through Thrivent Builds. Through this program, Thrivent Financial volunteers work with other people in the community to change people’s lives.