An extraordinary national initiative called Home Matters™ has had a remarkable impact in just a few short months and is building momentum throughout the housing community and well beyond. Mercy Housing has recently joined this remarkable effort.

Home Matters was launched in March in Washington, DC, when nearly 200 leaders of housing and community development organizations gathered with HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and a bipartisan group of Members of Congress. Their collective involvement reflected a broad political spectrum, underscoring that Home Matters no matter what your political beliefs.

Home Matters™ aims to build public support for the essential role that Home plays as the bedrock for thriving lives, families, and a stronger nation. Spearheaded initially by National NeighborWorks® Association but designed to be adopted by all, it reflects a coast-to-coast coalition of housing and community development organizations, other nonprofits, companies, and the public at large.

As it expands, Home Matters will go beyond housing and illuminate the connections between stable housing and other important facets of American life such as:

• Individual Success: Home recharges adults and children alike for the day ahead.
• Education: Children in stable homes learn and achieve more in school.
• Health: Healthy habits take root more easily in stable affordable homes.
• Public Safety: Stable homes make communities safer.
• A Strong Economy: Homes that are affordable are crucial to a vibrant job-generating economy.

Home Matters has already become a topic of discussion from coast to coast:

• People are talking about Home Matters: here’s Shaun Donovan on “Why Home Matters”;
• People are writing op-ed articles about Home Matters; here are a few examples from the many authors: Charles Rucks of Springfield Neighborhood Housing Services in Massachusetts; Jackie Mayo of Knox Housing Partnership in Tennessee; Roy Nash of NeighborWorks Waco in Texas, and Chris Krehmeyer of Beyond Housing in Missouri;
• People are creating videos about Home Matters: here are two – one by Community Housing Partners in Virginia and one by Community Frameworks in Washington.

Additional information on Home Matters is available at www.HomeMattersAmerica.com.

Home Matters is off to a terrific start! With your help, we can change the national conversation about Home. We can help all of America understand that Home Matters.