Abelard Joins As Sponsor To Help End Hunger

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 22, 2007 - Abelard Construction, the premier residential restoration firm in the Midwest, announced today that it has agreed to sponsor the Neighborhood House Hunger Learning Series, 2007. The Hunger Learning Series is a series of leadership conferences engaging policymakers, emergency food system staff, public and private sector leaders, and the public at large. Its purpose is to build the community will to end hunger in Minnesota.

"Abelard Construction started out as a business helping people make it through tough times resulting from storms, accidents, or other unforeseen home maintenance requirements," says Brian Southard, Abelard co-founder. "The Neighborhood House is locally based, focused on helping new immigrants and homeowners, and has a mission that aligns tightly with our own goals as a company."

The final 2007 Neighborhood House Learning Conference, expected to draw 300 attendees, will be held November 8, 2007, at the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center for Community Building in St. Paul.

Besides Abelard Construction, other sponsors include Land O' Lakes, Inc., the Greater Twin Cities United Way, Seneca, and the Minneapolis Foundation. Confirmed speakers at the event include Joel Berg of the New York City Coalition against Hunger; Representative Marty Seifert (R-MN); Sue Kainz, Campaign Coordinator at Minnesota Food Share; Senator Mee Moua (invited); Lydia Botham, Executive Director at Land O' Lakes, Inc. (invited); Mike Luker, and CEO Cargill Kitchen Solutions (invited).

Hunger Partners committee members who will share community recommendations to end hunger in Minnesota include Marcia Fink, Basic Needs Director at the Greater Twin Cities United Way; Colleen Moriarty, Executive Director of Hunger Solutions; Barbara Thell, Executive Director of Minnesota FoodShare; John Kemp, Executive Director of Neighbors Inc.; and Tim Barnes, Executive Director of the Emergency Foodshelf Network.

Abelard's sponsorship will be applied to cover all or partial conference registration fees for individuals and non-profit organizations seeking assistance in attending the events.

About Abelard Construction. Abelard Construction is headquartered in Maryland Heights, Missouri, with offices in Maryland Heights; Indianapolis, Indiana; Columbus, Ohio and Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Abelard is committed to the communities it serves, and keeps established branches in place, providing employment and resources for long-term cooperative growth. Visit www.abelardconstruction.com or call 1.888.260.ROOF.
About Neighborhood House. Founded in 1897 to provide basic services to immigrant families, Neighborhood House is a multicultural, multilingual community center with services for all ages and open doors for all people. It is often a first stop for new immigrants and refugees. Neighborhood House fulfills its mission by providing emergency assistance, long-term social assistance, youth activities, family enrichment, culturally specific education and empowerment initiatives, AmeriCorps*Youth Works, scholarships, seniors services, and much more. Visit http://www.neighb.org or call 651.789.2500.



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Dave Dix
Small Business Mavericks
512.257.1605
dave@melberg.com