December 17, 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 CELEBRATES COMPLETION OF FIRST WOMEN BUILD HOME AS PART OF NATIONWIDE HOMEBUILDING INITIATIVE
Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area completes home built by women
and sponsored by Lowe’s as part of 50-state homebuilding program


JACKSON, Wyoming (December 17, 2007) – Tonight at 5:30 pm in Melody Ranch, supporters of Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area, and Habitat homeowner Lori Shanor and her children, Luke and Izzy, will celebrate the completion of Wyoming’s first Women Build Home. This home is part of 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 in May 2006 in Mobile, Ala., and since then more than 50 First Families houses have been built or are under construction through the efforts of local and state leaders, Habitat for Humanity women volunteers and Habitat homeowners.

All homes built as part of the First Families program are 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 nationally by Lowe’s, gives women the opportunity to learn construction skills and to use those skills to help move families out of poverty housing. Further information is available at lowes.com/habitat.

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

WHERE: 775 West Morgan Lane, Melody Ranch Subdivision, Jackson, Wyoming

WHEN: Monday, Dec. 17 -- Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Presentation begins at 6:00 p.m.

WHO/INTERVIEW OPP.:
 Terri Marino, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area
 Lori Shanor, Habitat homeowner
 Representatives from Lowe’s
 Katy Lockard, Lead Carpenter for this home

About Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area:
Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area builds homes with those in need in Teton County. Homes are built by volunteers and are then sold to pre-selected partner families with a no-interest, no-profit mortgage to ensure low monthly payments. 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 1,475 stores in 49 states. For more information, visit Lowes.com/community.

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