July 10, 2007 Terri Marino, Executive Director
Habitat for Humanity of the Greater
Teton Area Contact: Maureen Rich
Lowe’s Companies, Inc.
(704) 758-2298
Cell: (307) 690-1980 Maureen.A.Rich@lowes.com
terri@tetonhabitat.org

WYOMING FIRST FAMILY CELEBRATES NATIONWIDE HOMEBUILDING INITIATIVE
Governor Freudenthal makes proclamation in support of Habitat for Humanity Women Build house
sponsored by Lowe’s as part of nationwide homebuilding program

JACKSON, Wyoming. (July 10, 2007) – This Monday, July 16, women volunteers in Jackson Hole will celebrate First Families Building Homes Across America, a two-year program of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program, which is underwritten by Lowe’s. Habitat for Humanity launched year one of the First Families initiative last May in Mobile, Ala., and since then 27 First Families houses have been constructed with families in need by local and state leaders, Habitat for Humanity, Lowe’s and women volunteers. Governors’ spouses and other local and state-wide leaders will work with Habitat and women volunteers to construct 25 additional First Families homes in every U.S. state and the District of Columbia.

All homes built as part of the First Families program will be Habitat Women Build homes. This is the first Women Build project taken on by Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area and will add to the more than 1,000 Habitat for Humanity houses built by women crews throughout the United States. Women Build, underwritten by Lowe’s, enables women to learn construction skills and to use these skills to help move families out of poverty. Further information is available at lowes.com/habitat.

Media are invited to attend. Habitat officials, volunteers and new homeowners are available for interviews.

WHERE: 775 West Morgan Lane, Melody Ranch Subdivision off Melody Ranch Drive

WHEN: Monday, July 16, at 12:00pm
Brief press conference followed by lunch

WHO/INTERVIEW OPP.:
 Habitat for Humanity Executive Director
 The Shanor family, soon-to-be Habitat homeowners
 Women volunteers from the local community and Lowe’s of Idaho Falls

About Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area:
Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area builds homes with low income families in Teton County. Homes are built by volunteers and are then sold to pre-selected partner families with a no-interest, no-profit mortgage. Homeowners are required to contribute 500 hours of their own “sweat equity” on their home before they are allowed to move in. Habitat also runs the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which sells used and surplus building supplies, to help fund the building of Habitat homes.

About Lowe’s:
Lowe’s is a proud supporter of Habitat for Humanity International, American Red Cross, United Way of America, and the Home Safety Council, in addition to numerous non-profit organizations and programs that help communities across the country. In 2006, the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation awarded $15 million to diverse organizations across the United States. Lowe’s also encourages volunteerism through the Lowe’s Heroes program, a company-wide employee volunteer initiative. Lowe’s is a FORTUNE® 50 company with fiscal year 2006 sales of $46.9 billion and has more than 1,400 stores in 49 states. For more information, visit Lowes.com/community.