Cans for Habitat Announces Grant Winners

Since 1997, Habitat for Humanity (HFH) affiliates have earned approximately $4.4 million has been earned from 12 million pounds of recycled aluminum cans, according to a press release from the Aluminum Association, Arlington, Va. This equates to 95 Habitat homes, funded through the national Cans for Habitat program.

The aluminum industry has awarded seven participating HFH affiliates grants totaling $155,000 for their aluminum can recycling efforts.

In 2005, the grant winners recycled nearly 432,000 pounds of aluminum cans and generated almost $197,500 in revenue for the construction of Habitat homes. In total, participating Cans for Habitat affiliates recycled 700,000 pounds of aluminum cans and generated $380,000 in 2005, bumping their local recycling Habitat rates by 25 percent from the prior year, according to the Aluminum Association. In 2004, Cans for Habitat affiliates recycled 548,000 pounds and generated $230,000.

New to 2005, the Cans for Habitat grant program recognized returning and "rookie" affiliates for their marketing and promotional efforts.

The returning affiliate program was designed to reward affiliates that increased aluminum can recycling, earned media coverage, bin placement and marketing efforts from 2004 levels.

The rookie version of the grant program was created to encourage affiliates who have never competed in the Cans for Habitat grant program or have never won a grant. This first-timer applicant program rewarded the top rookie affiliates for their work in aluminum can recycling.

The first place finisher in the returning category, Greater Lynchburg HFH (Lynchburg, Va.), developed a "Can House" campaign to drive its public interest strategy. The campaign urged residents to help the affiliate collect 3,000,000 cans to cover the cost of building materials for a single habitat home. By the end of 2005, the Can House campaign helped Greater Lynchburg HFH achieve a 100 percent increase in its earned media coverage from 2004, securing placements on the Internet, television and radio and in newspapers and magazines.

The top performing affiliate in the rookie category, Mountain Country HFH (Branson, Mo.), used its hometown's reputation as the "Live Entertainment Capital of the World" to encourage visitors and residents to recycle aluminum cans. The affiliate partnered with businesses to offer patrons complimentary tickets to local events after donating aluminum cans. Partners also supported the campaign by placing recycling receptacles in lobbies, making recycling "pitches" and airing a public service announcement (PSA) during intermissions.

2005 returning affiliates grant winners are:

·        Greater Lynchburg HFH, Lynchburg, Va., $45,000

·        Grand Island Area HFH, Grand Island, Neb., $20,000

·        HFH of Hopkins County, Madisonville, Ky., $6,250

·        San Luis Valley HFH, Alamosa, Colo., $6,250

2005 rookie affiliate grant winners are:

·        Mountain Country HFH, Branson, Mo., $45,000

·        Garrard County HFH, Lancaster, Ky., $20,000

·        East Pasco HFH, Dade City, Fla., $12,500

More information on Cans for Habitat us available at www.cansforhabitat.org.