State Farm helps Villanova University raise funds for 3rd house sponsorship in Montgomery County
West Norriton, PA, February 4, 2011– Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County (HFHMC) makes dreams of homeownership possible, particularly with the continued support from State Farm Insurance®, who awarded a generous matching grant to Villanova University’s Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter for the third year in a row.
Montgomery North AFE Dick Butler and Villanova Agent Steve Melniczak present State Farm's grant to Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County's Executive Director Billy Dunn and several students from Villanova's Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter
“We are fortunate to have such a worthy partner in State Farm,” said Billy Dunn, Executive Director of HFHMC. “Through the Villanova campus chapter, their financial assistance directly benefits those who are struggling to provide a safe, decent and affordable home for their family,” Dunn added. “Villanova Habitat has done much to further our mission of eliminating poverty housing in Montgomery County and we are particularly grateful for State Farm’s support on the local level from Villanova State Farm Agent Steve Melniczak.”
The Villanova University Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter hopes to complete a “Blitz Build” in the fall of this year and recently received a $2,000 matching grant from State Farm for their outstanding work in building safe, decent, and affordable homes. State Farm has been the national corporate sponsor of Habitat for Humanity Youth Programs since 2007, with a sponsorship commitment of more than $1.1 million in grants in each year. This year, State Farm contributed more than $200,000 in matching funds to thirty six campus chapters and Youth United groups.
A Habitat campus chapter is a student-initiated and student-led organization on a high school or college campus that partners with the local Habitat affiliate to build, fundraise, advocate and educate to support the work of Habitat for Humanity. In 2010, approximately 500 chapters around the country engaged nearly 40,000 members and raised more than $1.25 million dollars for Habitat for Humanity. Villanova’s campus chapter has partnered with HFHMC since its establishment in 1989.
“Making the neighborhoods where we live and work safer, stronger and better educated is a priority for State Farm,” said Melniczak. “The Villanova Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter is an impressive organization of engaged young adults. This is the third year in a row they’ve qualified for the matching grant – a true testament to their hard work and commitment to improving Montgomery County.” Over the past four years, Villanova Habitat has raised more than $150,000 towards their first two home sponsorships with HFHMC. Through this partnership with State Farm, Villanova students are working toward their third home sponsorship in Montgomery County.
Habitat has built more than 400,000 homes around the world, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 2 million people. Since 1989, the Montgomery County affiliate has sought to eliminate poverty housing in the local community by offering “a hand up, not a hand out” to hardworking families who otherwise would be unable to experience the dream of owning their own home. In its 22-year history, HFHMC has completed 49 homes, which have housed 181 individuals (including 123 children) in the county and were sold to qualified families based on the principles of no-interest and no-profit.
For more details, call HFHMC at 610-278-7710 or visit www.habitatmontco.org.
Linley Kirkwood, Community Outreach Coordinator, (610) 278-7710
State 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. Our 17,800 agents and more than 66,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 79 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com® or in Canada statefarm.ca®.
