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Real Life Stories
 Profile: Constructive Collaboration on the 24th Annual Jimmy Carter Work Project
Product: $600,000 in AHP grants to construct homes for 30 low-income families in South Los Angeles and San Pedro.
Partners: City National Bank and Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles
Habitat for Humanity International’s 24th annual Jimmy Carter Work Project brought thousands of volunteers together in Southern California to build 30 affordable homes for low-income families. The project was hosted by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles.
Thirty-three volunteers from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and City National Bank worked alongside Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles’ local staff and partner families, volunteer workers from far and near, and former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, who have led this annual event since 1984.
Wendy Jacquemin, City National’s Community Reinvestment Officer passes by Vermont Village on her way to work every day. Helping to put up the siding on one of the homes put a neighbor’s face on her institution’s community investment activities. “We posted a big story about the Jimmy Carter Work Project on our intranet, so every employee could see how we sponsored the houses and how it all ties together,” Wendy explains. “It was a huge privilege for our people to participate.”
Having Bank partners “lend a hand” with Habitat building projects has benefits beyond the contribution of volunteer labor, according to Erin Rank, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. “We’re really happy to have them stepping out and participating in the construction. Here they’re not just putting ink on paper. They actually get to see the people who benefit from their general ledger entries and brown file folders. It’s a great way for the families to meet the people who are helping to make their dreams become a reality.”
Two of FHLBank San Francisco’s staff couldn’t agree more. Kevin Blackburn and Dwight Alexander, colleagues in the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco’s Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Department, kept busy all week working as construction crew members at Vermont Village. “For those of us from the Bank to be able to be here with the people who benefit from our AHP grants is a tremendous blessing,” Kevin says. “But I would suggest anybody do this -- you get to work hard, have fun, and change somebody’s life forever!”
While volunteer labor is essential to Habitat’s success, so, too, is the hard work the families themselves put into becoming homeowners. Habitat partner families contribute 500 hours of sweat equity to the construction of their units and must also qualify for and pay a mortgage on the homes they help build. Habitat extends an interest-free mortgage to each household, the size of which is based on the household’s ability to pay.
For the families of Vermont Village, the hands-on participation of so many institutions, organizations, and individuals on this project amplified the growing sense of community that working side-by-side with their new neighbors had already begun to build. “We’re all family now,” says Alice Gonzales, a future homeowner who “never gave up, never gave in, and fought for the dream” she and her husband Ruben had of owning their own home and providing a safe and comfortable place for their five children to live – and thrive. “It’s exuberating!”
Back to Real Life Stories
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Real Life Stories
Profile: Constructive Collaboration on the 24th Annual Jimmy Carter Work Project
Product: $600,000 in AHP grants to construct homes for 30 low-income families in South Los Angeles and San Pedro.
Partners: City National Bank and Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles
Habitat for Humanity International’s 24th annual Jimmy Carter Work Project brought thousands of volunteers together in Southern California to build 30 affordable homes for low-income families. The project was hosted by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles.
Thirty-three volunteers from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and City National Bank worked alongside Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles’ local staff and partner families, volunteer workers from far and near, and former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, who have led this annual event since 1984.
Wendy Jacquemin, City National’s Community Reinvestment Officer passes by Vermont Village on her way to work every day. Helping to put up the siding on one of the homes put a neighbor’s face on her institution’s community investment activities. “We posted a big story about the Jimmy Carter Work Project on our intranet, so every employee could see how we sponsored the houses and how it all ties together,” Wendy explains. “It was a huge privilege for our people to participate.”
Having Bank partners “lend a hand” with Habitat building projects has benefits beyond the contribution of volunteer labor, according to Erin Rank, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. “We’re really happy to have them stepping out and participating in the construction. Here they’re not just putting ink on paper. They actually get to see the people who benefit from their general ledger entries and brown file folders. It’s a great way for the families to meet the people who are helping to make their dreams become a reality.”
Two of FHLBank San Francisco’s staff couldn’t agree more. Kevin Blackburn and Dwight Alexander, colleagues in the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco’s Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Department, kept busy all week working as construction crew members at Vermont Village. “For those of us from the Bank to be able to be here with the people who benefit from our AHP grants is a tremendous blessing,” Kevin says. “But I would suggest anybody do this -- you get to work hard, have fun, and change somebody’s life forever!”
While volunteer labor is essential to Habitat’s success, so, too, is the hard work the families themselves put into becoming homeowners. Habitat partner families contribute 500 hours of sweat equity to the construction of their units and must also qualify for and pay a mortgage on the homes they help build. Habitat extends an interest-free mortgage to each household, the size of which is based on the household’s ability to pay.
For the families of Vermont Village, the hands-on participation of so many institutions, organizations, and individuals on this project amplified the growing sense of community that working side-by-side with their new neighbors had already begun to build. “We’re all family now,” says Alice Gonzales, a future homeowner who “never gave up, never gave in, and fought for the dream” she and her husband Ruben had of owning their own home and providing a safe and comfortable place for their five children to live – and thrive. “It’s exuberating!”
Back to Real Life Stories
© 2000-2009 Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco
