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Wednesday, April 10, 2002 Victims Relief Fund raises $9.5 million By Eddie
Lusher, President
The Home Builders Care program was established to show the world the generous acts performed every day by home builders across this country, and the hundreds of projects that have been registered in the program are a source of pride for all of us involved in the industry. But, there is one project that the industry has come together to participate in, and for that reason, it stands out above the rest. In the five months following the devastating terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, the home building industry has demonstrated its overwhelming generosity by donating more than $9.5 million to the Home Builders Care Victims' Relief Fund, which benefits the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Among the fund's hundreds of donors are individual members, builder associations, including the Home Builders Association of Midwest Georgia, associate member companies and builder members. Major contributions of $100,000 or more were made by: Beazer Homes; Brookfield Properties Corp.; Centex Corp.; Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc.; Kimball-Hill, Inc.; Lennar Corp.; M.D.C. Holdings, Inc./Richmond American Homes; Pulte Homes, Inc.; Shea Homes; Standard Pacific Group; Toll Brothers, Inc. and William Lyon Homes, Inc., as well as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Housing Endowment. NAHB, through its philanthropic arm, the National Housing Endowment, has already distributed more than $4.1 million to victims, families and others touched by the tragic events of that day. The remaining funds will continue to be distributed to those most in need. More than $1.75 million has been given directly to the New York State Builders Association Research and Education Foundation (NYSBA REF), which is fulfilling the mortgage or rent payment needs of New York-area victims and families. The NYSBA REF has received hundreds of applications for funds through its six local associations: the Long Island Builders Institute, Rockland County Builders & Remodelers Association, Builders Association of the Hudson Valley (also accepting applications from victims in Connecticut), Queens County Builders and Contractors Association, the Associated Builders and Owners in Manhattan, and the Building Industry Association of New York City, located in Staten Island, but also serving the needs of all victims living in New Jersey. Additionally, the NYSBA REF is working directly with employers Cantor Fitzgerald and Marsh USA, who combined lost nearly 1000 employees, as well as other organizations. "The decision was made for the Home Builders Care Victims' Relief Fund to work with the New York State Builders Association Research and Education Foundation to get the checks right into the victims' hands, so we know where the money is going," said NYSBA Executive Vice President Philip LaRocque. "Our program, on average, is providing housing finance assistance for three months, that is either three months' mortgage or rent." Applications were slow to come in before Christmas, LaRocque said, but the applications have picked up steadily since the fund was listed among other funds on the Web site of the New York State Attorney General (www.wtcrelief.info). As applications from victims and families continue to come in, the NYSBA REF will receive further grants from the Home Builders Care Victims' Relief Fund so that those affected by this tragedy will not be forced out of their homes. The Home Builders Care Victims' Relief Fund has also donated more than $612,000 to the Survivors' Fund of the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, which was established to help support long-term educational, health and rehabilitation, grief counseling and other needs of victims and families affected by the Pentagon attack. This fund will also continue to receive donations from the Home Builders Care Victims' Relief Fund as additional monies come in. Some donors to the Home Builders Care Victims' Relief Fund made requests for the disbursement of their money to specific charities. Each of these requests has been honored, including major donations to: The New York Police & Fire Widows' & Children's Benefit Fund, The America's Children of September 2001 Fund, United Way's September 11 Fund, The New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund and the Twin Towers Fund. Additionally, the Home Builders Care Victims' Relief Fund made a contribution of $10,000 apiece to each of the eight volunteer fire departments in Somerset County, Penn. that responded to the crash of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Penn The money will continue to be distributed until every penny has gone to help people affected by the events of Sept. 11. On behalf of the Home Builders Association of Midwest Georgia, I extend my thanks to all of you who helped to make the victims' futures a bit brighter. (Eddie Lusher, who is with Jerry Ballard Homes, is president of the Home Builders Association of Midwest Georgia, which serves a membership of approximately 485 builders and associate members in Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Heard and Meriwether counties.)
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