Evansville, Indiana (January 8, 2010) – The Greater Evansville Chapter of the Indiana University Alumni Association is teaming up with the I.U. Cares program to raise funds to build a Habitat for Humanity home in the Glenwood neighborhood. The goal is to raise $54,000 to pay the upfront construction costs of the house, and then to recruit local IU alums to come out and build. Nearly $27,000 has already been committed to the project after an initial email solicitation to jump start the drive went out in late December to more than 3,000 alums. You can donate here by selecting IU Alumni Build in the drop-down menu.

The house will be built as part of the IU alumni’s participation in the Glenwood Community Development Initiative, a collaborative effort among many entities and investors to revitalize the Glenwood neighborhood. Much work has already been done toward this initiative, including community discussions to outline goals, a community garden, health fair and improvements to the Glenwood Middle School. Habitat for Humanity of Evansville will partner with a private developer to build a mixed-income housing development that will include 19 Habitat homes and four market-rate homes next to the school.

The IU Cares is a program of the IU Alumni Association that links alums with current students to work on projects that improve quality of life and help families in need throughout Indiana. Students and alums will be recruited to work on the home once building begins sometime in the spring.

Meanwhile, fundraising will continue, and the Greater Evansville Chapter of the IU Alumni Association is offering several incentives. Anyone who donates $5,000 will receive a basketball signed by IU Coach Tom Crean and five chances to win a fantasy game package that includes tickets on the floor and assigned parking passes for a men’s basketball game or tickets to a football game with access to the Hoosier Hundred room. Every $1,000 will also have a chance to win one of these packages.

For more information on the IU Alumni Build, please call Sr. Jane Michele McClure, Habitat development director, at 423-5623, or email her. You may also print a flyer with more information on the build.

Learn more about the Greater Evansville Chapter of the Indiana University Alumni Association here.