Thrivent Builds Neighborhoods

-  Milwaukee WI Neighborhood

-  Des Moines IA Neighborhood

Thrivent Builds Neighborhoods is building more than homes – it’s helping to rebuild entire communities. The program seeks to improve many factors in a neighborhood so that the people who live and work there can enjoy a better life, like:

Safety. Recreation. Education.

Health care. Financial literacy. Housing.

In 2007, community coalitions in four locations will receive planning grants. For these communities, the planning grant is really the first step toward real change. Often, this type of funding is the hardest for communities to find. That’s why the Thrivent Builds Neighborhoods program is so important – it creates a strong foundation for the coalitions to begin their work. Each coalition includes representation from:

• The local Thrivent regional financial office.
• The local Habitat for Humanity affiliate.
• Neighborhood residents.
• Local community development organizations
• Municipalities.
• Other organizations that care about the community.

If these pilots are successful, the Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity alliance may provide funding to start implementing the neighborhood plan created with this initial grant. Full implementation of a Thrivent Builds Neighborhoods project could take three to five years.

• Read about the Milwaukee, Wis., Harambee Neighborhood – served by Thrivent Financial Southeast Wisconsin Region and Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity.
• Learn more about the Des Moines, I.A., King Irving and Mondamin Neighborhoods – served by Thrivent Financial East Central Iowa Region and Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity.