More Spotlights Contact: Corporate Development Officer Sabrina Pourmand (650) 568-7337 spourmand@peninsula habitat.org Home Partnerships Spotlight Central Peninsula Church Local Church Shows Love by Helping to Build Homes for their Low-Income Neighbors She watched as images flashed across the television screens. She saw families crying, children rejoicing and people building homes - lots of homes. Then a man in a wheelchair said, "I think what Habitat does when they come together to build these homes is evidence that the Gospel is alive and well, and that means something, it really means something." After seeing Peninsula Habitat for Humanity's video presentation in 2005, Central Peninsula Church (CPC) member Lois Gaspari put her faith into action by volunteering at one of Habitat's construction sites. "I think Peninsula Habitat for Humanity is a legitimate organization," she said. "And I'm happy to support groups that CPC supports." Gaspari was not the only church member who responded. CPC's staff participated in the 2005 Raise the Roofs event to help build houses for low-income families in Daly City. "The staff hoped their participation would encourage the rest of the congregation to get more involved in living out the Gospel through local organizations like this," said Don Varney, Peninsula Habitat for Humanity's faith/community outreach and volunteer services manager. "The staff also thought that volunteering would give them a better idea about how other departments at CPC could work with us." Since then, CPC has regularly encouraged its congregation to support Habitat by announcing build days and other volunteer opportunities from both the church pulpit and in the weekly bulletin. "More than 30 volunteers attended our first All Faiths Build Day this past December," Varney said. "Congregation members who attended had such a great experience that the church established a committee to evaluate how they can become more involved." Spurred on by CPC member Wendell Samson, the congregation recently took another step in expanding its partnership with Peninsula Habitat for Humanity by organizing its first all-church volunteer build days. Hosted over two consecutive Saturdays, August 5 and 12, more than 70 parishioners donned hardhats to help build houses for five families in Brisbane. "Think about how much it actually costs to build a house in terms of volunteer labor, materials and professional expertise," Samson said. "It takes the whole body of Christ working together to make that happen." Gaspari volunteered again on August 5 and said it was refreshing to see so many people joining together for a good cause. "We don't have enough positive experiences in our lives," she said. "It's refreshing to see so many people working together to help others whom we don't even know. There are so many negative things in life and positive experiences like this help us stay balanced." Fellow CPC member, Marilyn Stockdale Green, also participated in the first build day after seeing an announcement in the church bulletin. "I believe strongly that having been blessed, I have the responsibility and am called to give back to others," she said. "Housing in the Bay Area is in such a crisis, and I like being part of the solution that will help people own their own homes." Varney said he hopes that one day, when the timing is right, that CPC will partner with Peninsula Habitat for Humanity to sponsor the building of a house. "By continuing to work together to build homes for low-income families, we will be fulfilling God's command for us to love our neighbors, and the rewards for everyone will be great."