Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles launches "Act! Speak! Build! week" - A Youth-Initiated program to advocate for affordable housing
Program empowers students to advocate for affordable housing 

Los Angeles, CA (April 16, 2007) – Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (www.habitatla.org) announced a new youth program, "Act! Speak! Build!" Week (ASB Week) was a national Habitat for humanity student initiated advocacy program that empowered young people to educate themselves and their communities and move people to social action. The program is youth initiated: students came up with their own creative ideas on how to advocate for affordable housing. This weeklong event took place April 16-22, 2007. Student groups around the world were encouraged to implement the campaign events to give the week a more unified perspective. Last year, more than 240 groups of youth registered to participate in at least one of the four campaign events during the Act! Speak! Build! Week 2006.

"Today's youth are more informed, passionate and action-oriented than before," says Erin Rank, President/CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. "By empowering young people to help educate the community about the need for affordable housing, we believe they will inspire people of all ages and all walks of life."

Local Schools with Student Participating from Ages 5 - 25:

" Act! Speak! Build! Week" encourages students to host speaker panels, create posters, read persuasive letters to city council and everything else they can think of to effect change. Participating schools were recognized nationally and locally by Habitat for Humanity International and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. For more information about this program and other ways youth can get involved, visit www.habitatla.org and click on youth programs or call 310-323-4663 x 119.