"I feel like all 500 Thrivent Builds families accomplished something big together. We have all been working hard, raising our kids but just not able to make ends meet. But this program has helped us change our lives." said Lakeisha White, the 500th Thrivent Builds homebuyer.  

Lakeisha White's new home is part of a national milestone celebration for Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity

500 Homes Built, Thousands of Lives Changed

An unprecedented alliance between Habitat for Humanity International and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, called "Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity," held a special celebration on October 13, 2007, to announce an historic milestone: 500 quality, affordable homes built in 45 states in partnership with 500 low-income families in just two years. Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County in Pontiac, Michigan was honored to have led construction of the first, the 500th and the 501st homes of this impressive alliance.

The 500th homebuyer, Lakeisha White, shares a story typical of Habitat homeowners. She and her two daughters, ages 12 and 4, were barely surviving in a dilapidated apartment in a crime-ridden neighborhood. Constant water leaks left the place damp and moldy, and the bathroom plumbing needed replacement. She wanted to move but couldn’t afford paying more for housing and still feed her children. She was losing hope—until she heard about Habitat for Humanity.

White applied and was accepted into the Habitat homebuyer program in Pontiac. Since then she has invested hundreds of hours of her own time, working beside volunteers, to build her first home. When the house is finished this fall, she will make a small down payment on a no-interest Habitat mortgage and move her family into a fine, new home.

But, there is more to Lakeisha’s story. Had it not been for the support of Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity, Lakeisha’s home could not have been built this year. This $105 million four-year alliance, formed in 2005, has made homeownership a reality for hundreds of families each year. Families that otherwise would have been turned away.

According to Sally LePla, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County, "We could not do all that we do without Thrivent Builds. It has definitely made it possible for our affiliate to serve more families in need."

Lakeisha White, who received the keys to the 500th Thrivent Builds home, added, "It is an honor for me to be the 500th Thrivent Builds homeowner. I feel like all 500 Thrivent Builds families accomplished something big together. We have all been working hard, raising our kids but just not able to make ends meet. But this program has helped us change our lives. Please keep helping to change the lives of others."

Since the 2005 inception of the Thrivent Builds alliance, sixty of the 500 homes—more than 10%—have been built within the state of Michigan.