The United Nations has designated the first Monday in October as annual World Habitat Day.
On Oct. 4, 2010, in recognition of World Habitat Day, Habitat for Humanity will raise awareness of the need for improved shelter and highlight Habitat’s priorities: the worldwide connection between human health and housing, and, in the United States, neighborhood revitalization. These themes echo the United Nations’ chosen theme for 2010 for events in the host city of Shanghai, China and the rest of the world: “Better City, Better Life.”
Every week, more than a million people are born in, or move to, cities in the developing world. As a result, the urban population of developing countries will double from 2 billion to 4 billion in the next 30 years.
By the year 2030, an additional 3 billion people, about 40 percent of the world’s population, will need access to housing. This translates into a demand for 96,150 new affordable units every day and 4,000 every hour.
The week of October 4–9, Habitat for Humanity organizations around the world, in partnership with others, plan World Habitat Day events focused on education, advocacy and fundraising. 
This year, the focus issues for these efforts are health and housing internationally and neighborhood revitalization in the United States.
The 27th Carter Work Project will spearhead World Habitat Day events in six U.S. cities Oct. 3–8. Volunteers will join in building and rehabilitating houses with Habitat homeowner families, former President Carter and Mrs. Carter and other celebrities.
This year, the Carter Work Project will be held in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota; and Birmingham, Alabama.
There are so many ways you can take part; contact a Habitat affliate near you, there are over 1500 affliates in the U.S. alone, find a local event in your area, or if you are less inclinded to manual labor, they will gladly take your donation.Labels: giving back, green ideas, shameless promotion
