[MCN] Help Missoula Families by Voting for Habitat!

[Emily Allen]

Greetings!



We at Habitat for Humanity of Missoula (HfHM) are proud to share with you
some amazing news – our cause was selected to be a part of the online
voting process for State Farm’s Neighborhood Assist program. As the ONLY
organization in Missoula AND in Montana to be represented in the national
pool of 200, we are eager to rally as much attention and support for our
cause as possible. The top 40 organizations receiving the most online votes
are awarded $25,000, and we need you to help us bring the funds to our
community!



Please connect with us on Facebook and RSVP/share the event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/219884122041740/



Additionally, we would greatly appreciate your help in spreading the word
throughout your networks. Any person over 18 with a valid e-mail can vote
up to ten times DAILY from August 15-24.



Our voting page can be found here:
https://www.neighborhoodassist.com/entry/2011284



Home-ownership has the potential to transform not only the lives of
children and families within stable housing structures, but neighborhoods,
communities, and regions. In 27 years of work in Missoula, we have helped
hundreds of children and 53 families gain stability, strength and
self-reliance through home-ownership; as costs of living continue rise
exponentially in our city, the need for support has become greater than
ever.



Thank you for your time & support on this venture!



*Below (and attached) is our official press release for this competition.
Please consider sharing this press release to help get the word out.





All the best,







*Emily Allen*



AmeriCorps Vista

Habitat for Humanity of Missoula, Montana



*“Whatever good things we build end up building us.” – Jim Rohn*



FB: @habitatforhumanitymissoula
<https://www.facebook.com/habitatforhumanitymissoula/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel>

Insta: @missoulahabitat <https://www.instagram.com/missoulahabitat/>







*For Immediate Release*



*Missoula Nonprofit is the only Montana organization among 200 national
groups vying for a $25,000 grant from State Farm*



State Farm Neighborhood Assist is a program that awards $25,000 grants to
40 charitable causes across the country. The application process for the
Neighborhood Assist program is lengthy and competitive, with State Farm
dwindling down 2,000 applications to 200. But in the end, the public votes
to select 40 causes out of the 200 to each receive a $25,000 grant. This
year, Habitat for Humanity of Missoula (HfHM) applied for the Neighborhood
Assist program and after beating out 1,800 other applicants, Habitat is now
the only applicant from Montana to be competing for a winning top 40 spot
and $25,000. But now it is up to all of us to come together and vote for
HfHM to ensure that $25,000 is put into the Missoula community and used for
local Montanan families.



“As all of us know, whether we are fundraising or donating funds to a
non-profit in Montana, the constant requests and effort remains
challenging, and includes a huge output of human capital to raise what is
needed.  Even though Missoula is extremely generous, this opportunity
brings national dollars into our community and will have a big impact on
our ability to get our mission accomplished,” states Noreen Humes, HFHM
Executive Director.



Each year, Habitat for Humanity of Missoula partners with eligible Missoula
families to provide safe, decent, and affordable homes for those living in
substandard housing. To make homeownership a reality for Missoulians living
in poverty, we sell our homes to eligible families at cost with no interest
or profit, allowing us to provide affordable housing while also educating
our community about poverty housing and the Habitat solution. By providing
low income Missoulian families with safe and affordable housing, we see the
cycle of poverty being broken, an increase in the safety and happiness of
low income children and adults, and an overall improvement in the
appearance and value of Missoula’s neighborhoods. The work that HfHM does
therefore not only changes the lives of each family we partner with, it
also makes Missoula a stronger, safer, and more prosperous community for
all.



Every year, the State Farm Neighborhood Assist program benefits
educational, safety, and community development causes across the US.
Winning this generous $25,000 State Farm grant is going to be a challenge,
but HfHM knows that if anyone can do it, Montanans can. The only way for
HfHM to win is for the public to go online and vote. Voting opens August
15.  People can help us by sharing the event from our Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/events/219884122041740 and vote at this link
https://www.neighborhoodassist.com/entry/2011284. If you are a US resident
and 18 or older you can vote for Habitat up to 10 times a day each day
through Friday, Aug. 24. While HfHM needs votes, they also need the Big Sky
to spread the word. To win, HfHM asks for voters to share the competition
and voting link on social media and by emailing family, friends, and
coworkers. The voting period lasts only ten days, but HfHM knows that ten
days is enough time for Montanans and their out of state friends to vote to
bring national money into the Missoula community.



“This is an amazing opportunity for Habitat for Humanity of Missoula to
maximize our outreach and funding in order to continue to build affordable
homes in Missoula,” states Kelin Johnson, HFHM Board President. “We cannot
be more thrilled to be a part of this National competition and we are
hoping the entire community and state of Montana will come together and
rally behind us to make this happen.”





For more information:

Noreen Humes, Habitat Executive Director or main office, 406-549-8210,
Noreen at habitatmsla.org

& Brodie Hurtado, State Farm Public Affairs Specialist for more information
about the State Farm competition itself. 480-293-6092,
Brodie.Hurtado.exl5 at StateFarm.com
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