NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- An estimated 30 percent of the homeless population in the United States are families with children, a statistic that compelled HomeAid, a leading non-profit provider of housing for today's homeless, to launch a national Project Playhouse(tm) event to raise awareness and funds for the growing issue. In total, eight HomeAid chapters in various states will host local Project Playhouse events this year, with New York, Los Angeles and Chicago featuring special American Girl(r)-themed playhouses and Washington, D.C. showcasing an educational, environmentally sustainable playhouse that will be installed in the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. in October.
For 15 years, Project Playhouse has been HomeAid's signature fundraising event where professionally constructed, elaborate children's playhouses are displayed and auctioned to raise money to build transitional housing around the country.
The three American Girl playhouses are all built by Pardee Homes(r) and are based on the popular brand's Nicki doll that characterizes the spirit of volunteerism. The Chicago-based American Girl playhouse is currently on display at Westfield Old Orchard in Skokie at Golf Road and Skokie Boulevard, and will be raffled in a drawing to take place in conjunction with HomeAid Chicago's Run for Cover fundraiser event on October 13.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles playhouse is currently on display through October 20 at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks. HomeAid Los Angeles / Ventura will auction its American Girl Playhouse, along with two others, at its Project Playhouse Auction Party at Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks, Calif. on October 20.
The New York American Girl playhouse will be donated to WestHELP Greenburgh, a transitional housing facility for homeless women and their preschool-aged children in White Plains, a suburb of New York City. The apartment-style transitional home is operated by Manhattan-based HELP USA and serves 108 families, providing housing, job-skills training and other services to help them rebuild lives of self-sufficiency.
"Project Playhouse has raised millions of dollars for homeless building projects around the country," said Genette Eaton, chief executive officer of HomeAid. "In addition to being a tremendous fundraiser, it is a fun, creative way to raise awareness and increase the public dialogue about transitional, or temporary, homelessness, which affects hundreds of thousands of hardworking individuals and families. For that reason, we decided to donate one of the playhouses to a worthy transitional housing facility in the New York City community."
Project Playhouse features exquisitely designed playhouses with unique themes chosen by the individual builders in each local market. The 8' x 10' x 10' miniature homes feature the same craftsmanship and quality as the real homes built by the same homebuilders, and often include working electricity, running water, and high-end materials such as granite and mahogany. Fully furnished, many of the playhouses in recent years have even included plasma television screens. Weighing approximately 7,000 pounds, each playhouse is built to accommodate the wear and tear of children's play. In previous years, the playhouses have auctioned for as much as $75,000 each.
"These auctions have been successful because of the dedication, creativity, quality and attention to detail that these professional home builders and other partners put into their playhouses each year," said Eaton. "We are extremely grateful to Pardee Homes for its hard work and dedication in building these charming playhouses."
"We have been involved in Project Playhouse locally since it began 15 years ago, and we are extremely proud to be participating in the national program and partnering with such top brands as HomeAid and American Girl," said Mike McGee, CEO of Pardee Homes. "Also, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to feature one of our playhouses in the National Building Museum to highlight environmental consciousness to kids and their parents."
"HELP USA and WestHELP Greenburgh are honored and grateful to receive the playhouse donated by HomeAid and Pardee Homes. When like-minded organizations work together to raise awareness, we achieve more than we ever could alone," says Larry Belinsky, President and CEO of HELP USA.
About HomeAid
HomeAid is the nation's largest nonprofit builder of housing for the temporarily homeless. Founded in 1989, the organization has built housing for more than 80,000 men, women and children. Established by the Building Industry Association of Southern California, an affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders, HomeAid has completed 145 housing projects nationwide with more than 60 projects currently in development. HomeAid includes a network of 21 chapters in 15 states and four offices in Augusta, GA, Washington, D.C.; Newport Beach, CA; and New Orleans, LA (for hurricane-rebuilding efforts). For more information about HomeAid, call 1-888-3HOMEAID or visit www.homeaid.org.
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About Pardee Homes
Pardee Homes is an award winning multi-regional builder and developer of master-planned communities, new homes, apartments and business parks in California and Nevada. Originating in 1921 as Pardee Construction Company, the company in 1969 became the largest wholly owned subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Company (WRECO), a division of Weyerhaeuser. Pardee Homes is an industry leader in sustainable building practices, garnering many prestigious sustainable awards, and the company's emphasis on community commitment is reflected by such honors as the Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award, the home building industry's most prestigious philanthropic awards program. Visit www.pardeehomes.com.
About HELP USA
HELP USA is a national not-for-profit organization with a mission to empower the homeless and others in need to become and remain self-reliant. HELP USA provides quality housing and on-site support services which include employment training and placement, life skills education, childcare, and domestic violence counseling. Founded in 1986, HELP USA has served over 170,000 individuals throughout our 26 permanent and transitional residential communities nationwide. HELP USA breaks the cycle of dependency by addressing underlying causes in a way that respects the dignity of those we serve. For more information or to support HELP USA, please call 1-800-311-7999 or visit www.helpusa.org.
About American Girl
American Girl Brands, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NYSE:MAT) (www.mattel.com), the world's leading toy company. Since American Girl's inception in 1986, the company has devoted its entire business to celebrating the potential of girls ages 3 to 12. American Girl encourages girls to dream, to grow, to aspire, to create, and to imagine through a wide range of engaging and insightful books, age-appropriate and educational products, and unforgettable experiences. In meeting its mission with a vigilant eye toward quality and service, American Girl has earned the loyal following of millions of girls and the praise and trust of parents and educators. To learn more about American Girl or to request a free catalogue, call 1-800-845-0005 or visit www.americangirl.com.