A national home-building alliance between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity International will again help Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga expand its home building capacity, by funding an additional home.

The additional home is part of the Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity alliance that brings together thousands of volunteers and financial support from Thrivent Financial. Today, Habitat and Thrivent Financial are announcing $24.5 million has been committed to build 355 additional homes in 43 states with families in need in 2007.

“We are thrilled to be working with local Lutheran’s again,” said John Lamb, Resource Development Manager, of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga. “We are looking forward to another successful project this year.”

Thrivent Financial became Habitat for Humanity International’s largest ally as a result of a four-year $105 million commitment to help increase the non-profit housing ministry’s home building production. In addition, Thrivent Financial rallied its national network of nearly 3 million members to volunteer. The alliance gives local Habitat affiliates the opportunity to work with more low-income families toward achieving Habitat’s mission of eliminating substandard housing.

In 2006, the first year of the alliance, 313 families in 43 states achieved the dream of home ownership—a projected six percent increase in Habitat’s U.S. home production. In its second year, the alliance is again increasing Habitat’s home construction by working with 256 Habitat affiliates to build 355 homes.

“Thrivent Builds is a great example of how our local volunteers use the resources made available by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to make life better for others,” said John Hall, Lutheran Community Services Specialists for the Mid South Region of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. “In the Thrivent Builds effort our members and volunteers join with Habitat for Humanity to make a difference in the community and in the life of a partner family by helping provide decent affordable housing.”

Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity brings together two national nonprofit networks of 1,699 Habitat affiliates and 1,364 Thrivent volunteer chapters. Locally, the South-East Tennessee Northwest Georgia Thrivent volunteer chapter will be helping with the homes. The need for an effort of this magnitude is great:

More than 13 million U.S. households use at least half of their income to pay for housing. Millions more live in overcrowded conditions or housing with severe physical deficiencies, such as having no hot water, electricity or toilet.

To learn more, visit www.thriventbuilds.com.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga is a nonprofit Christian housing ministry dedicated to building decent, affordable housing in partnership with those in need in Chattanooga, TN. Since 1986, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga has worked with more than 190 families to build homes. For more information, visit www.habichatt.org

The Mid South Regional Financial Office is made up of 64 financial representatives and more than 57,000 members in Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Tennessee. Together with its members, Thrivent Financial’s Mid-South Region provided more than $7,600,000 million in charitable outreach in 2005. For more information, visit www.lutheransonline.com.

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in Americus, Ga., in 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a not-for-profit membership organization helping nearly three million members achieve their financial goals and give back to their communities. As a not-for-profit fraternal benefit society, Thrivent Financial sponsors national outreach programs and activities that support congregations, schools, charitable organizations and individuals in need. Thrivent Financial has main offices in Minneapolis, Mn., and Appleton, Wi. For more information, visit www.thrivent.com.