Hundreds in Cedar Rapids for Habitat Build-A-Thon

More than 500 people are in Cedar Rapids (June 11-18) to help build or repair 20 homes in a national Habitat for Humanity Build-a-Thon.

The workers are members of AmeriCorps National Direct and Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). Participants will repair homes through Habitat for Humanity's A Brush with Kindness program.

This is the second consecutive year Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity has been selected to host the national event as it continues to build affordable housing after the flood of 2008.

The Build-a-Thon “celebrates the impact Habitat AmeriCorps members have in local communities …. but also highlights the continued need for affordable housing in the Cedar Rapids area,” said Larry Gluth, senior vice president of the United States and Canada for Habitat for Humanity International.

Nearly 4,000 homes were damaged by the June 2008 flood.

Each year, the AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon helps raise awareness about affordable housing and highlights Habitat's partnership of the Corporation for National and Community Service and Habitat for Humanity International.