Habitat for Humanity Press Release 10.6.09

For Immediate Release
Pasadena, CA – October 6th, 2009 – In difficult financial times when so many individuals and families are concerned about finances, future job-security and the upcoming strain of holiday expenses, a unique and exciting movement is happening within the greater Pasadena community. People are Giving.

Mosaic, a faith-based community with a focus on outreach and serving the needs of families and individuals in the greater Los Angeles area including Pasadena and Altadena, has recently taken on the commitment to raise funds and provide volunteers to build a Habitat for Humanity house in Los Angeles in 2010.“At Habitat for Humanity of Greater LA partnership with the faith community is one of our most important priorities. As people of faith put their beliefs into action, homes are built and families are changed. We could not successfully complete the work that we do without the power and financial support of our faith partners. Together we can create a sustainable impact in the Los Angeles area.” – President and CEO of HFH Erin Rank

Discussing the sizable monetary commitment required of $150,000 to build the home in a time when many people are in a mindset of saving everything they can, Lead Pastor Erwin McManus explained the motives behind the commitment “In a time of great fear and great need in our communities, people are overwhelmed because they don’t know how to help. We thought if we can just reach one person, give one family shelter this year, make a difference in one life, that would be a great place to start. So, people are being asked to give above and beyond their usual commitment to the community and its been a blessing how much they are already reaching into their pockets and into their available time and giving what they can.”

What is perhaps most notable about the commitment being made by the Mosaic group is that the average age of the church attendees is 23 years old. “Most of our members are single students or young professionals, with a very specific bent towards creative individuals – who are concerned about the state of the world and want to get involved personally to make a difference in whatever way they can, even if that is just with their hands and their time” said Pasadena Site Pastor Steve Saccone – one of five regional pastors at Mosaic which has multiple locations serving the greater Los Angeles area.

Since announcing the commitment to the Habitat for Humanity project and calling for donations on Saturday September 26th, over $80,000 in pledges have already been committed by community members. Mosaic would like to invite interested members of the community, other churches, organizations, non-profits and businesses,  who would like to either commit donations to the project or volunteer their time to work on the Habitat House to contact us by emailing our community volunteer coordinator to get plugged into available opportunities.

Dedicated to outreach to the community, Mosaic has put in place a non-profit organization called serveLA – whose primary goal is to serve the needs of local non-profits and services by providing ongoing volunteers and committing resources to assist them with their areas of need. The website www.servela.org provides an overview of the organization and a portal for interested volunteers and organizations seeking assistance to get connected.  Please contact serveLA if your organization is seeking support and would like assistance from our volunteers.

Mosaic and serveLA would like to invite the communities of Pasadena and Altadena to get involved with volunteering this year in the greater Los Angeles area! To learn more visit  www.mosaic.org or email us.

In a time of so much anxiety and concern about the condition of the world and the economy, we are hopeful to see a group of young community members dedicated to making a difference, even if it is just one house, one child, one mouth at a time.