Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Mid-Atlantic Region, The Blue Ridge Chapter of Thrivent Financial and local Lutheran churches are joining a national $24.5 million house-building effort to construct 315 homes in 43 states. Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley will receive $60,000 as part of this initiative.

Habitat is proud to join forces with Thrivent Financial and the generous partnership of Lutheran churches in the Roanoke Valley to build a house for Fanee Johnson and her family on Pittsfield Circle in Roanoke City in April 2008. This build is a continuation of a long-standing relationship between Habitat for Humanity and the area's Lutheran churches.

Although Fanee and her children enjoy their small attractive rental house on 22^nd Street NW, she applied to Habitat seeking a home with the  features necessary to allow her to care for her middle-school son, Anthony, who uses a wheelchair. In order to be available to put him on the school bus and meet him in the afternoon, she has given up her regular job at Big Lots and is presently training to be a medical technician and home health care worker.

Fanee loves to paint (walls, not pictures) and has already completed all required classes and workshops.

Habitat is working with the Department of Rehabilitative Services to modify our standard house plans to fit Anthony’s needs, and the family is looking forward to the wider doorways and halls, roll-in shower, pocket doors and other features that will ensure that every member of the family can enjoy every part of the house and yard.

For more information, please call Betsy Whitney, Habitat's Development Director or J.D. Seneff, the Thrivent Builds Specialist, at 977-3705.