<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-e0c431f6-7fff-3028-1a7b-0751cabbc3af"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">For Immediate Release</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Contact: Abby Lynes, Impact & Engagement Director</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Email: <a href="mailto:impact@habitatmsla.org">impact@habitatmsla.org</a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Office: 406-549-8210</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Cell: 406-403-2429</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Habitat for Humanity of Missoula wins competitive award in national Habitat Home Design Contest</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Habitat for Humanity of Missoula (HfHM) is excited to announce it has won the Best in Affordability award for Habitat for Humanity International’s Home Design Contest.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The contest was available to all U.S. Habitat Affiliates, with 100 entries submitted. HfHM was one of just 13 entrants selected, a great honor. Categories included sustainability, accessibility, resiliency, and more.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Our team strives to achieve the best in affordability; we carefully strategize space-efficient floor plans and energy-efficient envelopes. We want these homes to function well and the families to enjoy being home in an environment they can thrive in, so we take care to provide daylight and occupant comfort,” said Kate Geer, designer at A&E Architects, who partnered with HfHM for this project.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Winners were selected based off of their ability to demonstrate success in many of those categories, along with replicability of projects. Judges reviewed site plans as well as an online application detailing technical information about the home, neighborhood/community context, and why the project is unique.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I've been so humbled to work with Habitat as we pursue affordable and safe homes for our Missoula community. It's been a privilege to help design these homes that provide a safe place for families to thrive,” Geer said.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Winners were honored in a Zoom award ceremony in December. HfHM will receive a $2,000 award, which it will turn around and reinvest in its home-building program so the organization can continue to build sustainable, decent homes people can afford.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"Our national award-winning affordable home design is a win-win for our community.  Not only is it fiscally responsible to offer homes affordable to Missoula's workforce so they have opportunity at building capital, we also stand by their smaller footprint and energy-efficiency creating a win for our environment.  I am so proud of the entire team who collaborated on this endeavor,” said Heather Harp, HfHM Executive Director.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">###</span></p><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">About Habitat for Humanity of Missoula</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">: Since 1991 Habitat has created decent, affordable  homes alongside local families earning 40 to 80% of the median area income. These homes are then sold to the families who helped construct them through a unique program to keep payments within the family’s means. This process, called Habitat’s 30-30-0-250 mortgage program, allows families to purchase a 30-year mortgage, with payments set at 30% of their income, zero interest, and the contribution of 250 hours of “sweat equity” work as the home is built.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Currently, Habitat is finishing construction on two homes, the organization’s 58th and 59th in Missoula County, alongside the Lumona family of six and the Grados family of three. The Lumona family home is also Habitat’s 9th in the Franklin to the Fort neighborhood while the Grados family home is Habitat’s first in East Missoula.Habitat has recently selected three partner families for 2021 who will soon be announced.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Habitat for Humanity of Missoula’s office and retail location, the Habitat ReStore, are located at 3655 MT Highway 200 East, Missoula, MT 59802. For more information, call 549-8210 or visit <a href="http://www.habitatmsla.org">www.habitatmsla.org</a></span></p></span><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><font size="4"><i>Abby Lynes</i> </font><div>Impact & Engagement Director - Habitat for Humanity of Missoula</div><div><br></div><div><img src="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1LqgF1nXSuekA5uY0yFu3lMvQtc_ncpBD&revid=0B88sLdA-z3kTVW81a2RPaHJsOGNYR2VpcllyQXFKMmxRelFBPQ"><br><div><div><img alt=""><img alt=""><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>