This holiday season, we are asking you to consider joining New Story and Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate in building safe communities and providing a better future for those in need.
It’s currently estimated that about three billion people will live without access to adequate shelter by 2050. In places such as Ahuachapán, El Salvador, the location of our sponsored communities, many families live in dangerous conditions without clean water and sanitation. According to New Story, only 7% of families previously reported having access to clean water. Many of the residents residing in these impoverished conditions make shelters using rusty sheet metal, plastic tarps, and garbage bags. Together we can help improve the quality of their lives.
Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate is proud of its partnership with New Story–an organization dedicated to ending global homelessness. Together we work to transform slums into sustainable communities. Leaders like Christine Zoeller, VP of Marketing at BHGRE®, strive to develop ways to weave giving back into the fabric of the organizational culture. “The Better Homes and Gardens ® Real Estate brand is focused on helping people find their perfect home, and New Story is doing the same — just for those who are in need of homes the most.”
Building a new life:
A home is the foundation every family needs to thrive. The homes built provide safety and shelter and are wired for electricity, running water, and plumbing allowing the families who inhabit them to spend time working and learning rather than struggling to obtain things needed to survive. The homes are even eco-friendly, and the families gain a backyard suitable for gardening and growing their own food. The funds raised through our partnership are allocated to build communities that invest in the local economy, and the labor and building materials are all sourced directly from Ahuachapán.
The impact:
Two of our communities in the Nuevo Cuscatlán area have seen drastic improvements. Between 40-45% of the people in these programs were children who now have a roof over their heads, a floor under their feet, and a place to feel safe. About 60% previously had dirt or soil floors, now have concrete, and everyone now has access to clean drinking water–which significantly improved health conditions. These families have reported feeling safer and improved sleep quality, due to better living conditions. Salaried employment has also increased. According to New Story, in the Ahuachapan 2 community, salaried employment increased by 26% over the course of two years, and 14% more families started earning their primary income through small businesses and small-scale commerce.
How you can help:
We’re excited to announce that nearly 500 miles southeast of Mexico City lies Innovation Village. It will be a revolutionary community, built on the pillars of partnership, technology, and human-centered methodology. Long term, there will be 500 homes. Let’s work together to provide families with affordable housing using world-renowned innovation. Raising funds and building safer homes improve their health, increase their educational opportunities, and enable brighter futures for generations to come. 100% of your donation funds home construction. Read more about the project here.
Donate today and change a family’s life forever.
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