The National Housing Endowment recently launched “Support Our Future,” a fundraising campaign aimed at recruiting 1,000 donors to support the NAHB Student Chapters program and other endowment initiatives that educate and train future residential construction industry leaders.

“Contributions to the 'Support Our Future' campaign enable us to continue to lay a foundation for the future of residential construction,” said Bob Mitchell, endowment chairman and 2000 NAHB president. “Vital programs like NAHB Student Chapters and our signature grant program, HELP — Homebuilding Education Leadership Program, create a pipeline of qualified leaders for our industry."

“It takes the generosity of the industry to ensure that this campaign is successful,” Mitchell said.

The Student Chapters program enables students in residential construction-related fields to enhance their academic studies with real-life building industry experience through special events, networking opportunities and the Residential Construction Management Competition (RCMC), held each year at the NAHB International Builders’ Show.

More than 4,200 students and faculty advisers participate in 150 student chapters at universities, community colleges, high schools and career technical schools across the country.

The HELP initiative, the cornerstone of the endowment’s education program, awards major grants to colleges and universities to help them create, expand and enhance existing residential construction management programs — and to enable them to provide programs that respond to the current state of the home building industry and anticipate and prepare for its future.

“The HELP grant has set our construction program on the path to success,” said Micah Kaufhold, program coordinator at Jefferson State Community College, Birmingham, Ala. “Our department will strive to improve its residential academic offerings, grow its student body and encourage student involvement in the NAHB Student Chapter.”

The endowment has awarded HELP grants to 19 schools since the initiative was established in 2006. The grants enabled the schools, which are listed on the endowment website, to add new comprehensive residential-focused curriculum and majors to their curriculums, develop apprenticeship programs, increase the recruitment of women and minorities and more.

Professional Women in Building Make Initial 'Support' Donation

The NAHB Professional Women in Building raised $500 during a mixer last month and donated all the proceeds to “Support Our Future.”

To Donate

All donations to “Support Our Future” are tax deductable.

To donate online, visit www.nationalhousingendowment.org; or email Madeline Smith at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8069 for more information.

All “Support Our Future” contributions will be recognized on the endowment website and at the 2012 International Builders’ Show in Orlando.