Floor Covering Weekly
May 26, 2003

Industry donations help spruce up Habitat homes
by Lesley Goddin

Tile industry members are helping to eliminate substandard housing through affiliation with Habitat for Humanity International. Tile Partners for Humanity (TPFH) has pledged $1.25 million over five years with an annual commitment of $250,000 that includes goods, installation services and financial donations.

TPFH manages manufacturer, distributor and contractor donations of ceramic tile products, installation services or other support to Habitat affiliates. Contributors get tax credits for their donations.

“I would like to see every Habitat house in North America, at a minimum, have tile in the entrance, kitchen and bathroom,” said Millard Fuller, president and founder, Habitat. “Those are the heavily-trafficked areas that ought to be easy to clean.” Donated tile and installation services keep Habitat homes affordable, since affiliates don’t have to purchase them.

TPFH’s first project was a Washington, Utah, home, a step up from the trailer the family currently inhabits. The torn linoleum floors are a hazard for the family’s young boys, said Elizabeth Zavala, the Habitat homeowner. “We want the tile floors because they are easy to clean and my boys can run around. They are also cooler in the summer and very pretty.”

TPFH industry partners Crossville Porcelain Stone/USA and LATICRETE International donated the flooring and installation materials for the kitchen, bathroom and entryway in January.

TPFH partners will contribute tile and installation materials for the 45 homes to be constructed by the Jimmy Carter Work Project in Valdosta and LaGrange, Ga., from June 7 to 13. Lowe’s and Whirlpool are premier sponsors of this event.

“It’s all about the ceramic tile industry coming together, setting competition aside, working side by side with volunteers and wrapping its arms around this wonderful project to get ceramic tile into these Habitat for Humanity homes,” said Allyson Fertitta, executive director of TPFH.

TPFH’s founding organizations are The Tile Doctor (www.thetiledoctor.com), a web-based information portal that aims to educate consumers about the tile industry, and the Ceramic Tile Institute of America (www.ctioa.org), a non-profit association that promotes expanded use of tile through education.

Habitat is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry based in Americus, Ga., with more than 1,900 active affiliates in 83 countries, 1,700 in the U.S. Affiliates are independent, nonprofit, locally run organizations that coordinate construction projects in their communities. For more information or to coordinate a donation in your community, contact TPFH at (770) 416-0200 or via email at ally@tpfh.com or visit www.tpfh.com.