Habitat for Humanity of Summit County joins nationwide “Beloved Community” initiative to bring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of access, equality and opportunity for all into action.
[AKRON, OH] (January 18, 2018)- Building on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of the “Beloved Community,” Habitat for Humanity of Summit County announced plans today to honor King’s legacy through a series of projects in Summit County. Over the next year, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International and The King Center’s MLK 50 Forward initiative, Habitat for Humanity of Summit County is renewing and strengthening its commitment to build a world where everyone has a decent place to live and the opportunity for a better future.
Habitat for Humanity of Summit County plans to engage the City of Akron, County of Summit and Fair Housing Contact Service in a year long effort to build a “Beloved Community.” The public can join Habitat and city officials and take the pledge to help build the Beloved Community at habitat.org/takethepledge.
This effort will build on work being performed by other Habitats across the country undertaking Beloved Community projects, including the construction of new affordable homes, critical home repairs and community revitalization initiatives. “In 2018, as we mark the 50th anniversaries of Dr. King’s tragic death and the passage of the Fair Housing Act, we renew our pledge to make the concept of a Beloved Community a reality,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “This will never be a world of equality, of fairness, of human decency that leaves no room for poverty or prejudice or violence, unless we build it. And so we build.” Habitat is partnering with The King Center in Atlanta as it marks the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination.
“With every new home that Habitat for Humanity builds, we move one step closer to my father’s vision of the Beloved Community,” said Dr. Bernice A. King. “Since its founding, Habitat for Humanity has been lifting families up through God’s love and showing them the path to take control of their lives through homeownership. This year, we’re going to have an even more powerful voice for those families and future homeowners so that one day, everyone lives in the Beloved Community with agape love.”
Habitat for Humanity invites others to join in pledging to help build the Beloved Community. Read more about why Habitat is propelling this cause in an essay by Jonathan Reckford and Tjada McKenna, Chief Operating Officer. Visit habitat.org/takethepledge to learn more and follow #BelovedCommunity to join the conversation.
About Habitat for Humanity of Summit County
Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry, works in partnership with people in need to improve the condition in which they live. Habitat challenges people of compassion to provide the initial capital – through gifts and no-interest loans – to build simple, decent homes with the inadequately sheltered. For information about Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, call 330-745-7734 or visit www.HFHSummitCounty.org.
Contact: Rochelle Sibbio
Habitat for Humanity of Summit County
330-745-7734
Habitat@hfhsummitcounty.org