Project 300 in 2018
Sunday, May 6
In 2012, First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio (FPCSA) hosted our first on-site building event in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio. That event was named Project 240 because the goal was to complete the framing walls for 3 Habitat houses in 4 hours or less—240 minutes. In 2013 we upped our production to 4 houses and again in 2014 to 5 houses, all while keeping the goal of under 4 hours to complete. We have achieved 5 houses/4 hours ever since.
This year’s event was selected by the 300 San Antonio Commission as an official community outreach event of the city’s year-long Tricentennial celebration. In that spirit the 2018 event, on Sunday May 6, will be called Project 300. But our mission is the same: complete the framing walls for five houses in four hours!
Project 300 will be held on Sunday, May 6 in the FPC parking lot at the corner of McCullough and Avenue E. The morning portion of the event, beginning at about 10:45 AM, is for volunteers from the congregation, military and participating organizations. The afternoon portion of the event is open to the public with registration beginning at 12:30 PM and the build happening from 1:00 – 3:00 PM. There is no cost to participate. Children ages 6 and up can help with the build with their parents. No special skills are required, and all tools and materials required for our build are supplied by Habitat. No open toed shoes, please and bring your hat and sunscreen!
Why We Support Habitat
First Presbyterian’s commitment to Habitat for Humanity goes well beyond Project 300!
Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio is the first Habitat affiliate established in the U.S. opening its doors and hearts in 1976. FPC provided office space to Habitat-SA in our church for several years before they were able to procure their own offices. Also, FPC is one of the 15-20 member churches making up the Presbyterian Cluster. The Cluster churches pool financial and volunteer resources to sponsor and build a Habitat home in the spring of each year. We are nearing completion of our 23rd Cluster house, which will be dedicated and turned over to the homeowner on April 21.
An ecumenical Christian non-profit, HFH-SA has built over 1000 homes in our community since their establishment, with a goal for this year of 50 new homes. Habitat’s build-schedule is amazingly fast and efficient! Once the infrastructure is in place (streets, water, electricity, foundation, etc.) a house is completed in 7 weeks, from erecting the framed walls (which we help build!!) to landscaping and dedication! It’s important to note these families are presented with an opportunity, not a giveaway. Habitat’s credo is to “provide a hand-up, not a hand-out” by making decent, affordable houses available and achievable to qualifying low-income families. Owners are provided a 20-25 year, no fee/no-interest mortgage, and approved families must invest a minimum of 300 volunteer hours working on their house.
Providing this opportunity for families to purchase an affordable Habitat home has a positive, multi-generational impact on our community. Most of these families have spent years living in small apartments or rental properties prior to purchasing their Habitat house, and statistics show that children of homeowners (vs. renters):
- Are 25% more likely to graduate from high school
- Are 116% more likely to graduate from college
- Are 20% less likely to become pregnant as a teen
- Are 59% more likely to own a home within 10 years of moving from parent’s household
- Are 50% less likely to rely on welfare at age 20
What a great return on your volunteer investment
Sponsor a Military Member
The day of our event is 300SanAntonio’s Military Appreciation Day. We already have over 40 active duty military members committed to participating in Project 300 and we expect that number to reach 75-100.
For a donation of $25 you can sponsor one of these military volunteers to cover their cost of a T-shirt, lunch and snacks.
What a great way to say “Thanks” to these young men and women who have already volunteered to serve our nation, yet on a day dedicated to honor them they have elected to serve a community which isn’t even their hometown!
To sponsor a Military Member for Project 300 click here.
Alternative Volunteer Opportunities
If you’d like to participate in the event but aren’t comfortable swinging a hammer, volunteers are needed for t-shirt sales, registration and box lunch sales on both April 29 and May 6. We also need help on the build site distributing drinks and snacks to the volunteers.
Volunteer Opportunities Available:
T-shirt sales/distribute waiver forms
• April 29 | 9:00-10:45 (4 people needed)
• April 29 | 10:45-12:30 (4 people needed)
T-shirt sales/collect waiver forms/lunch sales
• May 6 | 9:00-11:30 (7 people needed)
Registration table for community volunteers
• May 6 | 10:45-12:15 (2 people needed)
• May 6 | 12:15-1:30 (4 people needed)
Distribute water and snacks
• May 6 | 12:00-1:30 (4 people needed)
• May 6 | 1:30-3:00 (4 people needed)
If you are interested in any of these volunteer options, click here to sign up!
Our Partners
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