Evansville, Indiana (June 28, 2010) – Habitat for Humanity of Evansville broke ground on its newest development, Shadewood Place, today at the corner of Shadewood and Sweetser avenues. The development will be a mixed-income neighborhood with 19 Habitat homes and four market-rate homes built by Bussing Construction. Several sponsors are already lined up to begin building in this development, including the City of Evansville, Crossroads Christian Church. Old National Bank, Larry Dunigan/Holiday Management and a group of United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ churches. The first day for volunteers to join these builds will be Aug. 7.

Shadewood Place, a $1.4 million development, is part of the overall Glenwood Community Development Initiative, an effort among many partners to revitalize the Glenwood neighborhood. The partners have been meeting for two years to map strategies to improve the area, conducting focus groups and holding community discussions, and have developed six priority areas to guide future plans – Housing and infrastructure, Education, Clean and Green, Safety, Business and Commerce and Health and Wellness. In addition to Shadewood Place, the partners have also planted a community garden, and the Glenwood school is undergoing major reconstruction. It will open as the Glenwood Leadership Academy in the fall.

"This transformation takes a lot of work and a lot of collaboration," said Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel, sporting a blue Habitat for Humanity of Evansville T-shirt. "It's not just the city; it's not just Habitat; it's not just the neighborhood, or private donors or the school corporation — it's everybody working in collaboration to make this possible."

About Habitat for Humanity of Evansville
Founded in 1984, Habitat for Humanity of Evansville is a nonprofit Christian ministry whose mission is to build and sell simple, decent houses to hardworking families in Vanderburgh and Posey counties. We partner with individuals, churches, businesses and civic organizations who share our vision to make adequate, affordable housing for all a matter of conscience and action.

To be eligible, families must have incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median income. They must have a need for housing, be willing to contribute 300 hours in sweat equity and have the ability to pay their mortgage based on a 25-year, no-interest loan.

For more information, go to www.evansvillehabitat.org or call (812) 423-5623.