Florida Hospital Altamonte (see more articles like this)

Physicians, nurses, EMS personnel, support staff, administrators, and construction volunteers from Florida Hospital Altamonte and Florida Hospital Apopka are packing their bags for Mexico.  Beginning October 23, more than 50 hospital volunteers will join Jimmy Carter and 4,000 international volunteers to build 150 homes at two mission sites in Puebla and Veracruz, Mexico. 

“Florida Hospital Altamonte and Apopka are excited to be a part of this work project.  Our team of volunteers is looking forward to helping the people of Puebla and Veracruz realize the dream of owning a home they can be proud of.  We feel fortunate to be able to assist Habitat for Humanity in this important endeavor,” said Terry Owen, chief operating officer for the Florida Hospital Seminole Division.

Former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, will join thousands of Habitat for Humanity volunteers in Mexico to help build the homes in Puebla and Veracruz in five days.  Staff volunteers from both Florida Hospital Altamonte and Florida Hospital Apopka will set up first aid stations to care for the volunteer builders, respond to medical emergencies, provide preventive health education, and help build homes for low income families. Florida Hospital staff will also bring medical necessities including bandages, antibiotics and IV supplies to the work sites.

Habitat for Humanity's Jimmy Carter Work Project 2004 will bring together 4,000 Mexican and international volunteers, including corporations, churches, civic groups and individuals to join the former U.S. president in building simple, decent homes in partnership with low-income families. The week of festivities will also include opening and closing ceremonies, featuring traditional Mexican culture.

Mexico was chosen for the work project because of the enormous need for decent housing.  Roughly one in three adults lives in poverty housing. In the Mezquital Valley, where Habitat for Humanity has built more than 3,000 homes, some families live in shanties built with scraps of discarded lumber, cardboard and cactus. Since it was formed in 1989, Habitat for Humanity Mexico has built more than 12,000 houses, making it the second-largest Habitat program outside of the United States.

For more information on Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy Carter Work Project 2004, visit http://www.habitat.org/jcwp/2004/default.html.

For more information on Florida Hospital’s participation in the work project, contact Florida Hospital Media Relations at (407) 303-1917.

A representative from Florida Hospital Media Relations is going on the mission trip and can provide video, pictures, and updates to any interested media.  Please notify Melanie Trivento of any specific requests by Friday, October 22, by emailing melanie.trivento@flhosp.org.