By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman
ANN ARBOR – Organizers for the Rainbow House project, the first Habitat for Humanity building in Michigan sponsored by persons in the LGBT community, announced on March 28 that they have raised over $40,000 of their final $75,000 goal. Given the project's fundraising success, Habitat for Humanity Huron Valley has committed a building site in Ypsilanti and a groundbreaking ceremony date of May 20.
Over $20,000 of the funds raised so far were received on March 11 during a Spring Gala attended by state Representative Chris Kolb (D-Ann Arbor) and John Burchett, chief of staff to Governor Jennifer Granholm.
Jeanne Alderson, co-chairperson for Rainbow House Project, said of the event, "The evening itself was a huge success because of the diversity of people in attendance; young/old, white/black, gay/straight; we were all there to celebrate and support our common goals of helping others less fortunate than ourselves, rather than spending our money and energy on our differences."
The Rainbow House project steering committee has a title for their vision: "One Community, a Diverse Foundation." Organizer Nicole Appleberry told BTL in February that, "The larger community doesn't see us [LGBTs] as part of their community. They don't think of us as equal members. We are, of course, and this is a very visible way of saying that." (See "Rainbow House foundation growing," 17582 online at www.pridesource.com)
That message seems to have made a solid impact on at least one member of the larger community. In an email to steering committee member Louis Plantefaber, Nancy Williams shared these words which she wrote for her church newsletter after attending an earlier Rainbow House event, "Given the present climate of hostility toward homosexuals locally, nationally and world-wide, this project seems an admirable step toward solidarity with a community some of us know too little about. And in light of [her church's] statement of openness and affirmation, it is an effort we can wholeheartedly support!"
Construction on the house, which will be sold at cost to a low-income Washtenaw County family, will run from June through the beginning of September.
While the steering committee has raised over half of the funds needed for construction, they still need to raise an additional $35,000. To that end the committee plans at least three more fundraising events: a Texas Hold-em tournament in late April, a benefit concert at The Ark in May, and a wine tasting event in June.
In addition to funds, a typical Habitat building project requires 2,000 hours of volunteer time, so Rainbow House is also looking for enthusiastic volunteers who would like to help with construction, volunteer coordination, or providing lunches during the build days.
