SEATTLE, WA – June 12, 2009 - Impact Capital and Shorebank Enterprise Cascadia ("Shorebank"), two nonprofit organizations committed to economic development, put their muscles where their mission is to assist Habitat for Humanity of Seattle/South King County with building a four-plex in Rainier Valley. The group of staff and volunteers worked on a cool Saturday morning lifting rock, nailing boards, moving equipment, and weatherizing the new homes that will house amongst others, a family of eight from the Congo.

"It was a great feeling to spend the day actually building a house for an organization that Impact Capital helps to fund," said Heyward Watson, CEO of Impact Capital, who convinced his wife Joanne to help build a retaining wall.

Impact Capital and Shorebank lend and provide community development resources to neighborhoods in the Puget Sound region. "This Habitat build gave us an opportunity to really live our mission of providing housing and economic opportunities for families in Washington," said Magda Herrera, the Senior Fund Development and Communications Officer who organized the event. "Our staff and dedicated volunteers really got to enjoy seeing the fruits of their labor, meeting the families that would benefit from the project, and learning new skills." Volunteers like Aaron Gimse, husband of Impact Capital staffer Jessica, also enjoyed the pizza and homemade vegan chili the group shared along with other volunteers from Americorp.

After several hours, some volunteers were covered in caulk, paint, and dust, but that only made the experience more memorable. "We got a little dirty," said Marta Messelu, Associate Lender at Shorebank, with her boyfriend Earnest Rush Jr., "but it felt like a really worthwhile way to spend a Saturday."

Impact Capital's mission is to make strategic capital investments in nonprofit community development and affordable housing organizations in ways that enhance and sustain their ability to positively impact the quality of life in communities throughout Washington.

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