HANCOCK - Habitat For Humanity has a decades-old history of building homes for low income people, and now the organization is putting that experience to use building emergency shelters and more permanent houses in earthquake-devastated Haiti.
Rene Johnson, Copper Country Habitat For Humanity publicity coordinator, said the main office for the house-building organization asked the local groups to get involved with the recovery effort in Haiti about two months after the first earthquake Jan. 12.
"International sent out an invitation to all affiliates," she said.
The International office has asked local affiliates to take part in a fundraising effort from March 6 to 13, with a goal of $3 million worldwide.
Many local affiliates also operate ReStores, which sell mostly used household items, and Johnson said during the fundraising effort, the CCHFH ReStore at 25971 Pine St. in Calumet, will donate 100 percent of receipts at the store to the relief effort.
"The proceeds from that week will be a financial contribution to Haiti," she said. "(The International office) suggested one day, but we decided to do one week."
The reason for the extra time is because of the smaller population in the area, Johnson said.
The local affiliates without ReStores will do some other type of fundraising effort, Johnson said.
Johnson said Habitat has been working in Haiti building houses for 26 years. The organization wants to assist 50,000 families, and it will start its relief effort by building temporary shelters and distributing 10,000 emergency shelter kits, which contain tarpaulins, rope, duct tape, hammer, chisel, hacksaw, buckets, gloves, and masks.
Money raised during the March 6 to 13 period will be used for the next phase of relief, which Johnson said will be construction of permanent houses.
"Habitat wants to stay around to build affordable housing," she said.
The Copper Country Habitat For Humanity is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The telephone number is 337-0020.
Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie@mininggazette.com.
