KINGSTON, R.I. -- June 12, 2003 -- Exeter resident and University of Rhode Island student Yvonne Phillips said without Habitat for Humanity she would probably have had to work two to three jobs to provide decent housing for herself and her two children. Even if she had to keep such an exhausting schedule, the single mother knows that she would have been a renter, not a homeowner, and that she would not have had time to attend school.

Phillips spoke at a May fundraiser held by faculty and administrators of URI’s College of Human Science and Services about what her own three-bedroom Habitat home has meant to her and what it could mean to another South County family.

Phillips must have impressed the group because the College raised $7,000 toward the cost of construction of a new Habitat home in Richmond.

"Habitat helped me build my confidence, it helped me stay in school. It not only builds homes; it builds friendships," Phillips said.

Phillips, who is enrolled in the College’s Human Development and Family Studies Program, has taken some time off to regroup, but she fully intends to get back to school. "I appreciate what you are doing."

W. Lynn McKinney, dean of the College, said the group is committed to helping build a three-bedroom home, with construction beginning on Sept. 6. "If you ever wanted to have your name on a heating system, this is your chance," McKinney said.

The fund-raising committee’s goal is to raise $35,000 for building supplies, and the College will donate $15,000 in construction hours.

Donations can be sent to Associate Dean Susan Roush, 116 Quinn Hall, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R.I. 02881. The committee will be accepting faculty and student volunteers to help in this community service effort.

The College has undertaken the project in this its 25th-anniversary year because it is consistent with its values and principles, Roush said. The lack of a stable living environment can and does have an adverse impact on many aspects of a person’s life, including self-esteem and educational achievement--issues the College cares about deeply, she said.

For Further Information: Susan Roush 401-874-5626