[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 121 (Thursday, July 18, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CELEBRATION OF THE FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF 
                              KANSAS CITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 18, 2019

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Fortieth 
Anniversary of Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City. As a leader in 
nonprofit homebuilding, Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to ensuring 
suitable and affordable housing for all. Since its creation, Habitat 
for Humanity of Kansas City has improved hundreds of lives in six 
counties of the Greater Kansas City area and the Fifth Congressional 
District of Missouri. Wholly devoted to establishing stability and 
security in the community via improved housing, Habitat for Humanity of 
Kansas City provides tools to build self-reliance and lightens the 
burdens many homeowners face. Through these programs, they create 
opportunities for families to invest in their future and thrive.
  John and Mary Pritchard founded Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City 
in March of 1979, now the seventh oldest branch of Habitat for Humanity 
International. In their first year, the Pritchards, with the aid of 
board members, local churches, and community groups, purchased seven 
properties which they turned into homes. The Middlebrooks, Habitat's 
first homeowners, moved to the corner of Linwood and Martin Luther King 
Jr. Boulevard and were able to pay zero-percent interest on their 
mortgage for twenty years. The hard work of volunteers, families, and 
community members have allowed Habitat of Kansas City to continue 
building, renovating, and renewing over 700 homes in their forty years 
in the area.
  Building off their success in constructing homes, Habitat for 
Humanity of Kansas City created ReStore, a retail store which sells 
donated home furnishings and construction material to families trying 
to renovate their homes at an affordable price. Additionally, they 
built their House of Abraham in 2003, an interfaith endeavor between 
the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities in the Greater Kansas 
City area. It seeks to promote understanding between faiths by having 
adherents work together to build and restore homes. Habitat for 
Humanity of Kansas City also established the HOPE financial literacy 
program which assists Habitat homeowners with long-term credit and 
budgeting.
  Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City is just one branch of an 
international organization, which aids people across all 50 states and 
70 countries. Habitat International was founded in 1976 and has helped 
more than 22 million people due to their core belief that housing 
should be accessible to all. Habitat for Humanity constructs and 
restores homes, and then counsels families on investments and finances 
to help them keep their homes. When a family can afford a safe and 
stable home, they can then invest in other needs such as health care or 
the education of their children. Habitat for Humanity creates a ripple 
effect throughout communities, not only providing a safe shelter, but 
also a prosperous and strong future for families. They are champions 
for one of the core values of our country--opportunity for all, 
regardless of income or background.
  Madam Speaker, please join me, Missouri's Fifth Congressional 
District, and those around the nation in honoring the Fortieth 
Anniversary of Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City. Their commitment to 
bettering the community through building and restoring houses for 
families in the region is admirable and worthy of our recognition.

                          ____________________