FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C)
January 21, 2008
Asheville Habitat for Humanity Breaks Ground on CitiFinancial Funded Home Construction Dedicated to Life & Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Asheville, NC – Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity (AAHH) celebrated the groundbreaking of a new home dedicated to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The house, dedicated as the "Building on the Dream" house, is funded in part by a 2007 charitable donation granted by CitiFinancial and Citi Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Asheville Habitat Home Store, a retail store that has sold donated items to the general public since 1990. The goal of "Building on the Dream" is to bring together individuals, businesses, and faith communities to build a Habitat house in tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The energy efficient three bedroom home is being built in partnership with partner family Earicka Johnson and her two teenage children. The unexpected death of Earicka's fiancé due to complications from an appendectomy landed Earicka and her children in a very undesirable living environment and the past year has been extremely difficult for them emotionally. The family is excited about having a permanent home in the safe and beautiful West Asheville neighborhood. Construction will take approximately 12 weeks to complete, utilizing 2,500 volunteer hours.
Citi Foundation has provided funding for three previous projects with AAHH. Previous grants have resulted in not only the construction of a Habitat home, but also a significant increase in AAHH's house construction capacity. Jim Lowder, Asheville Habitat's Development Director, said, "We are grateful for CitiFinancial's faithful and continuing partnership. CitiFinancial and Citi Foundation have played a leadership role in enabling Asheville Area Habitat to increase house production from eight houses to more than sixteen houses annually."
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Citi
Citi, the leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Citi's major brand names include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney and Banamex. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.
Citi Foundation
The Citi Foundation is committed to enhancing economic opportunities for underserved individuals and families in the communities where we work throughout the world. Globally, the Citi Foundation is focusing its giving on Microfinance and Microentrepreneurship, which helps individuals become economically self-sufficient; Small and Growing Businesses leading to economic expansion and job creation; Education, which prepares young people for personal and professional success; Financial Education, which helps individuals make informed financial decisions; and the Environment with a focus on sustainable enterprises that generate jobs and stimulate economic growth while preserving the environment. In the U.S. and Canada, the Citi Foundation supports Community Development programs that help build and revitalize neighborhoods and Education programs that prepare students for college and careers. Additional information can be found at http://www.citigroupfoundation.org/.