Last modified: Monday, September 24, 2012
IU partnering with Whirlpool on Habitat for Humanity campus build in Bloomington
Alumni from Indiana University and Michigan State will team up on build before the schools' Oct. 6 football game
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 24, 2012
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Amid the tailgating and other pre-game festivities before Indiana University's Oct. 6 football game against Michigan State, IU students and faculty and alumni from the two schools will work together on a new Habitat for Humanity home in partnership with a Bloomington family.
IU Bloomington students and faculty will again partner with Whirlpool Corp. to build a Habitat for Humanity house on campus near Memorial Stadium. This year's build begins Oct. 4.
Ashley and Doyle Kell and their 3-year-old daughter Hailey will receive the keys to their new home a week later, on the field of IU Memorial Stadium, before the Hoosiers' game against Ohio State. Their new home will be dedicated about two hours before the 8 p.m. kickoff Oct. 13.
This will be the third consecutive year Whirlpool Corp. has sponsored a home build in a joint effort with IU, its Kelley School of Business and Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County on the Bloomington campus.
This blitz build, which takes place next to the home of the IU Alumni Association, the Virgil T. DeVault Alumni Center at 1000 E. 17th St., will begin Thursday, Oct. 4. After construction, the house will be moved to a permanent location at 14th Street and Woodburn Avenue in Bloomington.
The build is part of Whirlpool-sponsored Habitat builds taking place throughout the United States in 2012 and their ongoing initiative to donate a range and Energy Star-qualified refrigerator to every new Habitat home in the U.S. and Canada. Whirlpool Corp., one of Habitat for Humanity International's top corporate partners, has sponsored more than 100 homes and served more than 95,000 families around the world since the partnership began in 1999.
As part of the coordinated effort, IU and MSU alumni will join in, wearing school colors along with the necessary hard hat on the day of the game between the Hoosiers and the Spartans.
"Whirlpool and IU have truly created a lasting legacy in our community through these builds," said Kerry Thomson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County. "This will be the third family whose lives are changed forever because of a hand up, not a handout. This critical element of decent, affordable housing puts the Vosekas, Knapp and Kell families on the path to a brighter future, and it is thanks to the generous sponsorship of Whirlpool and the volunteer support of IU."
"I have been deeply involved with Habitat for Humanity for 15 years," added Lauren Robel, IU executive vice president and provost of the Bloomington campus. "I can think of no better way to bring the campus and the community together, and I know that our students, faculty and staff are delighted to continue and expand IU Bloomington's partnership with Whirlpool Corp. and Habitat for Humanity."
The Kells have been working for a long time toward their goal of home ownership. Doyle works full time delivering pizzas, while Ashley is a cashier at a grocery store. They have been living in government-supported Crestmont Apartments for the past couple of years.
When asked what the build means to the couple, Ashley put it simply: "My daughter can go outside finally and play in a yard. We'd always hoped to live in a house one day, and when we applied to Habitat, we couldn't imagine that in less than a year we were going to be having our own house. We couldn't be any more grateful."
Doyle, who is originally from Princeton, Ind., never has been able to attend an IU football game in person, and he's excited about receiving the keys to his new home on game day.
Tom Halford, an IU alumnus and Whirlpool vice president for sales integration, noted that "for 13 years, Whirlpool Corp. and Habitat for Humanity have helped families transform their lives. We believe strongly in Habitat's mission of giving families a hand up to help them achieve their dreams, and we hope others will join us in supporting this transformative work -- in Bloomington and beyond."
Anyone in the IU community can participate in the upcoming campus build. Those interested should contact Molly Barwick at the Kelley School's Institute for Social Impact at 812-856-7852 or KISI@indiana.edu.
About Monroe County Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County is a nonprofit housing ministry dedicated to building decent, affordable housing in partnership with those in need in Monroe County, Ind. Since 1988, this affiliate has built more than 125 homes in partnership with local families.
About Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is known internationally for outstanding research, as well as for the quality of its undergraduate and graduate programs. With 42,000 students from more than 125 countries, the campus offers a dynamic academic and cultural experience in a traditional campus environment that includes Big Ten sports and the Little 500 bicycle race. The campus has been called one of the "most wired" campuses in the United States because of its commitment to emerging technologies.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God's love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, visit the Habitat for Humanity website or Facebook page; follow Habitat on Twitter; or join Habitat's blog community.
About Whirlpool Corp.
In more than 12 years of partnership with Habitat for Humanity, Whirlpool Corp. has donated more than 140,000 ranges and Energy Star-qualified refrigerators to new Habitat homes built in North America, serving 71,000 families. The company has sponsored more than 100 homes around the world and served more than 24,500 families in Europe alone. Additionally, Whirlpool has donated more than 28,000 products to Habitat ReStore resale outlets in the United States, helping to raise over $4.6 million. A proud sponsor of Habitat's Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project since 2003, the value of the company's commitment to Habitat nears $78 million. With active partnerships in 40 countries, Whirlpool has engaged 8,000 employee volunteers and plans to support the work of Habitat around the world through product donations, financial contribution or volunteerism.
Whirlpool Corp. is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of more than $19 billion in 2011, 68,000 employees and 65 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world.
