Consul General Joins Delta Volunteers to Build Homes for the Underprivileged

November 15, 2007

Consul General Michael S. Owen joined volunteers from Delta Airlines on November 15 in Nagewadi, Karjat as they gave their personal time and money to be part of a build organized by Habitat for Humanity.  More than 40 Delta employees and six customers helped to construct eight homes alongside the future homeowners during their four-day stay in Nagewadi.  On November 15, the final day of the build, the Consul General handed over the keys of a completed house to its new homeowner.  The Consul General and his wife Annerieke have been longtime volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and participated in the 2006 Jimmy Carter Work Project, a large-scale Habitat for Humanity build in a village near Lonavala.  “This build is a clear example of the power of individuals who want to make a difference.  The Americans and Delta employees and volunteers who have come here for this build have all donated their time and money to this cause.  Thanks to these efforts, eight deprived families will have a home that they can call their own.  I am honored to have had the opportunity to work alongside these volunteers, who are fine examples of the great spirit of American volunteerism.  The American people care deeply about the well-being of people in other countries.  Americans reach out to help people in need—both at home and abroad—because of who we are and what we believe.  Sharing with others comes from our conviction that all people are equal and each person is uniquely valuable,” Owen said.