LETTERS: UNITED WAY: BIG HABITAT SUPPORTER

To the editor:

The Cape Girardeau Area Habitat for Humanity is thankful to our community for its recent and continuing support of our work. Recent news articles and television coverage of the dedication of our latest partnership house have been most gratifying and helpful in continuing to keep the need for adequate housing before our community. I would like to correct one oversight. We have not sufficiently acknowledged the invaluable support of our Area Wide United Way.

Even as our support in the community is growing, it has been the continuous support of the Area Wide United Way that has provided our most helpful and sustained support. The United Way funded Habitat in its infancy and continues to provide funding, moral support, guidance, oversight and encouragement. Members of the United Way board and staff have helped us reach out into the network of caring support in our community, opening doors and presenting the Habitat concept to many organizations and service agencies. I would like to thank our partner, the Area Wide United Way, and it many contributors for their sustaining support.

Habitat strives to solve the problem of inadequate housing in our community one house and one family at a time. The family receiving a home must work on the house for at least 350 hours of sweat equity. Simple, adequate houses are constructed with donated funds, materials and labor and are sold to a partnering family at no profit and no interest. Payments are then used to build the next house. We are most thankful for all our many blessings in this ministry of love.

MILES H. WHITE, Pastor

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Habitat for Humanity Board Member

Cape Girardeau