ACB: Press Releases

Contact:	Robert Schmermund (202) 857-3104 Jim Eberle (202) 857-3145	Jim Eberle (202) 857-3145 (work) (703) 893-2593 (home) [email protected]	For Immediate Release October 20, 2003 #03-51
E-mail: [email protected]

AMERICA’S COMMUNITY BANKERS, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AGREE TO COOPERATE ON NATIONAL, STATE, LOCAL LEVELS

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ACB News Center: Paris Las Vegas, Bourdeaux Room News Center Phone Numbers, Oct. 19-22: (702) 946-2206; (702) 946-2003, fax

LAS VEGAS – America’s Community Bankers and Habitat for Humanity International announced today that they have entered into a partnership agreement to work together at the national, state and local levels to build additional affordable housing in partnership with low-income families. The agreement was signed at ACB’s annual convention here.

The agreement recognizes the working relationship that already exists between ACB and ACB’s national effort, while encouraging member banks and state trade organizations to increase their participation with local Habitat affiliates.

ACB has sponsored Habitat houses in the cities where it holds its annual conventions: New Orleans in 2001, San Francisco in 2002 and Las Vegas this year. Hundreds of bankers and their spouses participated in the builds, and ACB Housing Partners Foundation, Inc., has contributed $230,000 during the three-year period. ACB has also committed $100,000 as a national underwriter of Habitat’s newest program, Congress Building America.

As part of the partnership with Habitat, ACB will encourage its member banks to partner with local Habitat affiliates in such resource development activities as gift-in-kind donations, sponsorship of homes and/or volunteer labor on Habitat projects.

ACB has set a goal of having member banks collectively contribute an additional $500,000 to local Habitat affiliates annually.

“ACB’s goal is to build 10 new Habitat homes across the country,” said ACB Chairman D. Russell Taylor at ACB’s annual convention. Taylor, who is president and CEO of Rahway Savings Institution, Rahway, N.J., pledged that his bank would work to build a Habitat home in Rahway as part of the Congress Building America program.

“I challenge each of you to participate and give generously,” Taylor said. “I challenge you to step up to the plate and be part of Congress Builds America, and to work with Habitat in your local communities to put people in homes, which is what we do. Get in touch with Habitat. Get in touch with ACB staff. And get going.”

“America’s Community Bankers’ desire to improve local communities goes hand in hand with Habitat providing affordable housing to families in need for those same communities,” said Tom Jones, vice president, Habitat for Humanity International. “This is an extremely important partnership and we would like to thank ACB for partnering with us to provide homes to families in need across the country.”

America’s Community Bankers is the national trade association committed to shaping the future of banking by being the innovative industry leader strengthening the competitive position of community banks. To learn more about ACB, visit www.AmericasCommunityBankers.com.

Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity International is a Christian ministry dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Founded by Millard Fuller, along with his wife, Linda, Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliates in more than 3,000 communities in 89 nations have built and sold more than 150,000 homes to low-income families with no-profit, zero-interest mortgages. www.habitat.org

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