SPANISH FORT, Ala. — The South Central Alabama chapter of Lutherans has just received a national grant to help build a local Habitat for Humanity home.

Thrievent is a Lutheran fraternal financial organization and the largest supporter of Habitat for Humanity, Ned Owens said. Owens and his wife, Janice, are Thrivent Build South Central Alabama Chapter co-chairmen specialists.

Owens said the national grant will pay 65 percent of a Habitat for Humanity home, the local Habitat chapter pays 25 percent and the local Lutheran Thrivent congregation will pay 10 percent.

There are 12 Lutheran churches located throughout Baldwin County.

The local group had already raised 10 percent from organizing the first 15K race in Alabama, which was recently held in Fairhope. They also collected aluminum cans.

The grant is significant because the local group has already started to raise funds to build a home before getting involved with Thrivent, Owens said.

“Because we had that 15K race, it brought a lot of Lutherans together in the county and we had factors that enabled us to get that grant,” he said.

According to Owens, when Thrivent awards a grant, half of the volunteer hours have to be performed by Lutherans.

Then, half of the Lutheran hours have to be performed by Thrivent members, Owens said.

To be a Thrivent member you have to actively participate in one of the financial programs offered such as life insurance or savings programs, Owens said.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a Fortune 500 insurance and financial service company, and it is also a faith based not-for-profit membership society.

Technically, Thrivent Financial is a fraternal benefit society that allows money that would go to taxes back to community and congregations, Owens said.

There are approximately 300 different Lutheran chapters around the country.

The number of Habitat homes built by the Thrivent has increased yearly, Owens said. In 2006, Thrivent built 311 houses and, in 2007, 355 houses were built.

Thrivent has already approved building of 322 houses in 2008.

“This is not a hand out — it is a hands up,” Owens said.

Recipients of a Habitat house have to meet certain criteria including making a down payment and making monthly mortgage payments, he said.

They also have to donate hundreds of hours — called sweat equity — for their home, as well as work on other recipients’ homes. The recipient family is chosen by Habitat for Humanity.

Recently, a woman in Foley who works full-time and has two children, including a 9-year-old son with cerebral palsy, was chosen for the house that is to be built.

Groundbreaking for the new house will be held Jan. 26. The first construction date is set for Feb. 2.

“In eight weeks we will have the house built. By the end of March they will definitely have a home,” Owens said.

The group already looks forward to raising money to build a house in 2009, he said.