Southern : Alabama Power Service Organization and IBEW partner to build 24th Habitat home

The Magic City Chapter of the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)have joined with Habitat for Humanity Greater Birmingham and other partners to build the chapter's 24th Habitat home in the Birmingham area.

Construction of the house in Pleasant Grove, west of Birmingham, began Wednesday, Oct. 17, and is expected to be completed Friday, Oct. 26. Members of the media are invited to attend Oct. 17-18 as the IBEW will join other volunteers at the home site. Media is also invited to attend the dedication ceremony at noon Oct. 26.

'In just 10 days, these volunteers will make one homeowner's dream a reality,' said Charles Moore, president & CEO of Greater Birmingham Habitat for Humanity. 'We are grateful for all of our volunteers, including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Alabama Power Service Organization, whose selfless work gives incredible hope to Kimberly Collins and her family.'

Collins is the homeowner of the four-bedroom, two-bathroom, all-electric home, which will include Energy Star appliances, lighting and controls as well as energy-efficient heating and cooling and an electric water heater. The home will receive a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rating, which is the industry standard for measuring efficiency.

Susan Ernst, in Corporate Marketing and Business Development at Alabama Power, has helped with logistics and coordination for each of the homes built with Habitat through APSO. 'The Magic City APSO Chapter got involved with Habitat to build homes after the deadly April 8,1998, tornadoes,' said Ernst. 'Our relationship has spanned 20 years and has resulted in homes for 24 deserving families.'

'We were able to maximize our volunteer efforts by building this Habitat home this fall instead of the spring,' said Kevin Williams, APSO project coordinator who works in Residential Marketing at Alabama Power. 'This really speaks to the power of partnership within our company and community, as several departments here at Alabama Power, along with other corporate partners, came together to help this family.'

The Collins home site is located at 716 10^th Ave., in Pleasant Grove. From Birmingham, take I-20/59 toward Tuscaloosa. Take exit 115, Allison-Bonnet Memorial Drive, toward Hueytown. Turn right on Red Farmer Drive and then right on Forest Road. Turn left onto 9^th Street, then right on 9^th Avenue and left onto 8^th Street. Bear right onto 10^th Avenue. The home site is straight ahead.

Building Habitat homes is just one of hundreds of projects supported by APSO, a nonprofit organization made up of employees of Alabama Power, and Alabama-based employees of Southern Company, Southern Nuclear and Southern Linc. With 10 chapters across the state, APSO volunteers devote their time and resources to support education, protect the environment and improve Alabama communities.

For details about APSO, the Alabama Power Foundation and Alabama Power's community initiatives, please visitwww.powerofgood.com. For information about energy efficiency, visitwww.alabamapower.com. Formore information about Habitat for Humanity Greater Birmingham, please visitwww.habitatbirmingham.org.