Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.  I need your help!

I am dedicating this fundraising to the memory of my father, Joseph Daniel Hanlon, Jr.  My dad passed away this summer following a battle with cancer.  His model of service throughout his life is my inspiration as I dedicate a week of my time and this fundraising to a needy family--with the help of Habitat for Humanity.  On November 6th, I will join a team of 19 colleagues from GE for a week-long service trip to Umgababa, South Africa, where we will partner with Habitat for Humanity & a family in dire need to build a home.  While I bring extremely limited building skills, I have guaranteed my hard work, sweat and the much needed funding to support this build.

I will engage in a series of fundraising events between now and November--highlighted by my running of the London Royal Parks Half Marathon on the 10th of October.  If you're around London, please come cheer me on as I run farther than I have ever run before.  And even if you cannot attend, please consider donating to this important cause ...  £2 per mile, $10 per mile ... whatever your means will allow.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure.  Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails.  Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer.  So it’s the most efficient way to donate - thus, I raise more whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.  I'm counting on you and so is a South African family whose lives we intend to change.  In truth, I expect mine to be changed forever by this experience as well.  I cannot thank you enough.  And I know my dad will be proud.

Please come back to this site from time to time...I will be sure to add photos & info to update you on my race training and other fundraising efforts!

NOTE:  For those of you outside of the UK, don't worry, you can donate via this website using a credit card, debit card or PayPal account.  However, donations are made in pounds sterling (£ GBP), so you may find it useful to use a currency converter before donating. The one I recommend is XE:   http://www.XE.com/ucc

Thank you!
Tim

 

UPDATE:  More info on the build...

 

Habitat for Humanity South Africa

Habitat for Humanity South Africa (HFHSA) has been actively building in South Africa since 1996 and to date over 2200 houses have been constructed across 17 communities. As a community development organisation HFHSA engages with local communities in the greater Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg areas.

 

The Umgababa Project

Umgababa (and surrounding areas in Ward 99 of Ethekwini Municipality) has approximately 7,321 households. Many homes were destroyed by recent floods and over 25% of the population is either living in poverty housing or is homeless.  65% of the population is either unemployed or not economically active.

The government’s low cost housing programme is designed to combat this unemployment by creating jobs through promoting labour-intensive methods and by employing local labour (youth & women) and emerging small contractors. The People’s Housing Process (PHP) is a non-conventional government housing delivery policy. It aims at supporting those who prefer to build their own homes and provides technical, financial and other support. Non-Governmental Organisations such as HFH South Africa are recognised by the government and are accredited as Community Resource Organisations (CRO) who act as implementation agents for several PHP projects in South Africa.

Out of the top 5 priority needs of the community, housing is the first, followed by sanitation, roads, water and sports and recreation facilities.

This Habitat for Humanity project will encompass homebuilding, skills empowerment, and community development through job creation and agricultural activities.

 

Beneficiaries

20% orphans and vulnerable children who will receive free homes. The remainder are families on a monthly income of less than $437.50 – they must own their own land, be willing to volunteer on the build (to a degree depending on age and physical capacity), be first time homeowners and qualify for a South African government housing subsidy.