Wednesday, July 14, 2010
STUART, Fla., July 14, 2010 – Habitat for Humanity of Martin County is receiving some much
needed assistance with the construction of their green homes in East Stuart,
thanks to Miami-based not-for-profit, Educate Tomorrow.
The group of 11 young adults and two adult mentors are
volunteering for HFHMC through Friday, July 16, on two home sites located at
the 800 block of Tarpon Avenue. The students are transitioning out of the
foster system; Educate Tomorrow helps them to bridge the gap into the real
world and college through mentorship programs.
“At some time in their life, these kids have been abused,
abandoned or neglected,” said Erica French, chief operating officer and program
supervisor for Educate Tomorrow. “As foster kids, they can go to any state or
technical school for free, but often there’s no one to help them get there. At
age 18, they’re out of the foster program, but if they stay in school, they can
receive a monthly check to help with living expenses. It’s not easy being on
your own, finding an apartment, learning to budget your expenses, and that’s
where Educate Tomorrow helps out.”
Educate Tomorrow, Corp. is an
international, nonprofit organization with a mission to make education an
attainable goal for the most disadvantaged, so that all may be afforded the
possibilities that can be achieved through learning. Educate Tomorrow supports 15-23 year
olds who are aging out of the foster care system, by matching them with
mentors. These mentors in turn help the young people to enroll in college and
training programs, find housing and jobs, as well as apply for educational and
social assistance that may be available to them.
“We’ve volunteered for Habitat
for Humanity of Martin County every year for the past three years,” said
French. “We know that camps and retreats are good for the students and makes
for a great bonding experience.”
The
groups is contributing to the construction of HFHMC’s green homes, which will
conform to environmentally sensitive standards, meeting gold rating
requirements by the Florida Green Building Coalition.
“We’re
so grateful to the students and mentors at Educate Tomorrow for volunteering
their time to help our community, year after year,” said Margot Graff, HFHMC executive
director. “It’s a wonderful partnership and we’re so blessed to have an
opportunity to work with such an extraordinary group.”
To learn more about Habitat sponsorship and volunteer
opportunities, visit HabitatMartin.org or call (772) 223-9940. For
more information about Educate Tomorrow, visit EducateTomorrow.org or call (305)
374-3751.
About Habitat for
Humanity of Martin County
Habitat for Humanity of Martin County is a
not-for-profit, volunteer-driven organization that extends the opportunity to
purchase simple, decent, affordable homes to local families who would not
otherwise have that chance. The three key criteria necessary in order to make
homeownership a reality for families include the need for shelter, ability to
pay, and willingness to partner with Habitat for Humanity. For more
information, call (772) 223-9940 or visit HabitatMartin.org.
