CHAMPAIGN – Carle Clinic Association and Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County’s Women Build Homes program announced at a news conference today their partnership to break ground on a new home on Saturday, August 29, 2009. The home will be built at 1521 W. Healey in Champaign for the family of Kia Young, a former Carle Clinic employee.

Women Build empowers women to build Habitat homes, enabling them to positively impact children’s lives and by making homeownership a reality for families. Women Build is not about excluding men; it’s about including women.

“Champaign County has an excellent history of women building homes with other women, including the Pettis family in 1999, the Grant family in 2002, and the Corona family in 2008,” said Executive Director Eileen Gebbie. “Habitat for Humanity is very grateful for Carle Clinic’s partnership on this home build benefiting Kia Young and her daughter Anajah.”

To date, $31,563 has been raised for this build, through grants, individual donations, and events. Carle Clinic and its employees are funding the project through a $20,000 matching funds drive.

“Carle Clinic is proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build Program to strengthen our community as a whole,” said Carle Clinic President and CEO R. Bruce Wellman, MD. “Our physicians and staff are enhancing the lives of families every day and we are pleased to have this opportunity to make a difference for Kia Young and her family.”

Future home owner Kia Young, a Certified Medical Assistant, spent much of her career at Carle Clinic and remains on call as needed. Her daughter, Anajah, is a third-grader who loves school, volleyball and coloring. Anajah is very excited about a home with a yard she can play in and a place she can plant flowers and watch them grow.

“Habitat seems so positive,” Kia reflected. “I’m a hard working single parent and I do the best I can to provide for me and my daughter. I’m currently working full time and spending my weekends at school working towards a Bachelor’s degree in hopes of building a solid future for my child.” Kia’s dreams for Anajah are simple. “I want to raise her in a safe, stable environment and be able to sit and watch her play outside.”
For more information about this project, visit

http://www.cuhabitat.org/homebuilds/Women2009.htm

About Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County and ReStore
Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County and ReStore is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International (HfHI). HfHI is a nonprofit, Christian housing ministry that works both to eliminate poverty housing around the world and to make adequate housing a matter of conscience and action. Habitat welcomes to the table partners from any faith - or from no faith tradition - which are willing to pick up a hammer to help improve the lives of families needing decent shelter. For more information, visit www.cuhabitat.org.

About Carle Clinic Association
Carle Clinic Association is one of the largest private physician groups in the United States, with more than 330 physicians practicing in more than 50 specialties at regional locations across central Illinois. Emphasizing a comprehensive approach to medicine, our team of experienced primary care physicians, specialists and hospitalists work together to provide a continuum of care. Carle Clinic also partners with Carle Foundation Hospital to operate three centers of excellence – Carle Cancer Center, Carle Spine Institute and Carle Heart and Vascular Institute – bringing the latest diagnostic and treatment options to the communities we serve.  http://www.carle-clinic.com/