Beyond Horizon

In the fall of 2007, a large number of Horizon employees volunteered to take part in the company's first team-up with the non-profit housing ministry Habitat for Humanity. The house was completed in time for the holidays, helping a deserving family in Urbana, Illinois, get a fresh start. More projects to build homes with Habitat for Humanity are scheduled for the future.

Juarez Mission

Since 2005, a gathering of Horizon employees has been crossing the border in El Paso, Texas, for the annual Juarez Service Project. The team's mission is to build homes for families in the poorest part of Juarez, Mexico, known as the Anapra. Most of these families had been living in shanties made of pallets, cardboard and tarps, drawing water from a single spigot in the yard and electricity from a single wire spliced for a few crude outlets. While the countryside is beautiful, the ground is sandy dirt that sees an average of only nine inches of rain per year, with summer temperatures consistently reaching 100 degrees and above.

The weather, terrain and living conditions in the Anapra may be harsh, but the people are amazing. Joyful, energetic, accepting and generous, the families, friends and neighbors make communication and laughter easy for everyone, despite the language barrier. After several days of shoveling dirt, mixing concrete and mortar, moving bricks and tarring roofs, the homes are usually complete.

Juarez, Mexico  Juarez, Mexico

The support of vendors and retail partners makes the trips even more special. Many Horizon retailers contribute to the cause by buying Bricks of Hope through their sales representatives. These donations, combined with Bricks purchased by Horizon employees, enable the yearly teams to buy some important extras for the new homes. Doors and windows of the houses built during the 2008 trip now contain glass and each homeowner received materials to stucco the exterior of their house. These two additions mean cooler summers and warmer winters for our Juarez friends. They were also given a medical bag filled with first aid supplies and basic medicines. Everyone who participates in the Juarez Service Project truly makes a positive difference in the lives of many people.