Nolan Gould and Ariel Winter, better known as the Dunphy kids on the award-winning TV show Modern Family, are among the child and teen stars showing support for the community at the Habitat for Humanity American Dream Walk being held in Pacoima, California on Saturday, October 16. Joining them will be Joey King from this summer’s hit film Ramona and Beezus; Brandon Eaton from Secret Life of an American Teenager; Ryan Newman of Zeke & Luther; Rachel Bell of Suite Life on Deck; Chris Trousdale and David Cleveland of Shake it Up; Jordan Monaghan of True Jackson VP; and brothers Doug Brochu (Sonny with a Chance) and Chris Brochu (from the upcoming Soul Surfer.)

Nolan and Ariel will lead the Hollywood Kids for Habitat team at the fundraising walk, The kids team is challenging the adult stars at the event to see who can raise the most funds.  The Walk begins at Lowes in Pacoima Plaza and continues 2.5 km to Habitat’s Pacoima project where walkers will participate in a fun construction relay. Walkers then return to the Pacoima Plaza for awards, a community BBQ and musical performances.

Last year, over 900 community members, including the cast of Jimmy Kimmel Live! joined the celebration and advocated for the need to “make our world a better, safer place to live–especially for children,” said Wayne Colmer, chairman of the Habitat affiliate that serves low income families in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys.

This year’s event will feature Trevor Donovan as MC and Matt Lanter, both from 90210, stars from The Young & the Restless, The Laker Girls and a special musical performance by host Mark Ballas from Dancing with the Stars.

The community is invited to participate by signing up to walk or by sponsoring their favorite stars. For more information, visit www.HumanityCA.org/events.


About Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys

Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys serves North Los Angeles County building low-income housing. They also provide life skills to families that enable them to become self-sufficient, productive members of the community. They believe in extending a hand-up, not a hand-out.

Working with the faith community, the corporate community, youth groups, other non-profits and governments as well as individual donors and volunteers, we collaborate to provide affordable homes to working families who would never otherwise realize this dream. They have developed a unique “enriched neighborhood” model that empowers our homeowners and their children to transform their lives and their entire community.

Through building homes with the help of volunteers (keeping the price low) and by holding the interest free loan, families are able to buy a home for less than what they would pay in rent. In addition we ask our families to commit 500 hours of sweat equity—far beyond the requirement of most HfH affiliates.

HFH families are hard-working people (nurse aides, day-care workers, transportation workers) who make about 50-60% the wages of middle-income workers. Rather than building a few homes in a neighborhood, they look for larger tracts where we can build an entire community.

Habitat Enriched Neighborhoods

Their newest model—Habitat for Humanity affordable homes built in Habitat Enriched Neighborhoods—is unique in the world of HFH, going far beyond previous affordable home ownership projects.  The enriched neighborhood model brings social and educational services into the neighborhoods. These services include: health information, dental hygiene, teen empowerment, and children’s programs such as tutoring. Other Habitat programs—like home ownership and repair, and money management—are also provided.

Their commitment to community sustainability is strong. The home designs are green and Energy Star certified. And we plant fruit trees and community gardens that not only provide fresh, healthy produce right in the neighborhood, they encourage greater social interaction among neighbors, again with the emphasis of strengthening the entire community.

HFH is a new kind of Habitat for a new generation.