NEW YORK, June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Fifteen volunteers from
New York City's LGBT community
spent the day installing Sheetrock in future Habitat homes in the
South Bronx as Habitat for
Humanity – New York City
celebrated its second annual Unity Build.
The volunteers also raised more than $10,000 to help fund future Habitat homes.
Established last year by popular demand, Unity Build was
co-chaired by designer Todd Oldham, real estate
financier Jim Gillespie, real
estate broker Stan Ponte and
business owner David Terveen,
all longtime Habitat-NYC supporters.
Josh Lockwood, Executive
Director of Habitat-NYC, said: "Habitat-NYC celebrates the
great diversity of New York City,
and we are pleased to bring members of the LGBT community together
to build affordable, eco-friendly and healthy homes for hardworking
New York families."
"I am grateful to have to opportunity to be involved with Unity
Build for a second year and to work alongside hard working and
compassionate members of New
York's LGBT community to build quality affordable housing
for deserving New York families
while celebrating the city's great diversity," said
Jim Gillespie, a New York City-based real estate finance
executive.
"I am fortunate to be able to give modest sums of money to a
number of different charities, but it isn't that often that an
organization gives you the chance to roll-up your sleeves and
actually do something 'concrete' to make a difference to help a
person or family in need," said real estate broker Danny Lux. "Volunteering for Habitat for
Humanity is allowing me to do both, which I think will be even more
rewarding."
Unity Build volunteers worked in a new-construction co-op
building at Macy Place and Prospect Avenue in the Bronx, alongside future Habitat
homeowners.
An innovative new model for Habitat-NYC, this seven-story
building is being developed in partnership with Blue Sea
Development Company, a private affordable housing developer. It is
the second such "co-development" Habitat project nationally.
Habitat-NYC will have 14 units in this 63-unit co-op for Habitat
families.
CONTACT: Beverly Cheuvront, 212-991-4000 x. 344,
bcheuvront@habitatnyc.org
SOURCE Habitat for Humanity - New York
City