Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and District Councilman David Neumann were on hand to recognize Whirlpool brand and Habitat's efforts to help revitalize West Dallas.

On November 21, major rent-to-own industry supplier Whirlpool, Habitat for Humanity International, and Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity officially dedicated new homes built with nine Habitat partner families as part of the third annual Whirlpool Building Blocks community build.

Nearly 250 volunteers from across the country, including Whirlpool employees and representatives from Habitat affiliates, worked alongside the families as construction began on November 17; five days later the area's nine newest homeowners were presented with keys to their new homes. The Whirlpool Building Blocks initiative was created to raise awareness of the need for affordable housing and to help Habitat eliminate substandard housing, which affects 95 million people nationwide.

"As we gather with our families for the Thanksgiving holiday, many of us will give thanks for the things that matter most in our lives," said Ellen Taaffe, vice president, Mass Brands, Whirlpool Corporation. "These nine families will undoubtedly give thanks for their new homes, but it is Whirlpool brand that is giving thanks for the opportunity since 1999 to help Habitat provide families like those in West Dallas with the chance for a more secure future."

The 2008 Whirlpool Building Blocks program took place in the Greenleaf Village II community in West Dallas, an area once marked with crime and neglect. On average, the median household income in West Dallas is $25,790 and an estimated one out of every three families in the community lives below the federal poverty level. The 71-unit mixed income neighborhood will include 13 Habitat homes.

"The nine Whirlpool Building Blocks homes will transform this new community and continue the revitalization of the West Dallas area," said Scott Begin, chief executive officer, Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity. "As these families move into their new homes by Christmas, we are reminded of the positive steps communities can take when visionary companies like Whirlpool offer their support to Habitat."

Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and District Councilman David Neumann were on hand to recognize Whirlpool brand and Habitat's efforts to help revitalize West Dallas.