New Housing Non-Profit Forming with Focus on Environmental Sensitivities

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http://reshelter.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

New Housing Non-Profit Forming with Focus on Environmental Sensitivities

Snowflake, Arizona USA – June 7, 2010 – Re|shelter is a new non-profit

organization forming to address the urgent need for housing alternatives for

people with environmental intolerances, who experience mild to life-threatening

physical reactions to extremely low levels of chemicals, mold, electrical

fields, and other environmental factors and have great difficulty living in

their conventionally built homes.

Currently applying for 501©3 status, the charitable organization is committed

to addressing the global housing crisis and high rates of homelessness and

suicide within vulnerable populations affected by disabling environmental

sensitivities. Their activities will include fundraising, awarding housing aid

grants, facilitating the design and construction of healthy homes and

communities, and using the arts to promote awareness.

Co-founders Genser and Laffin formed the charity because " the need

is so great, and no one else is doing it, " says Genser. Genser and Laffin are

hoping to direct funding from government and the private sector to help prevent

homelessness and further suffering for those unable to secure safe housing due

to their own limited resources. Both Genser and Laffin were disabled by severe

chemical, electrical and other environmental sensitivities within the last six

years and have a firsthand understanding of the housing struggle for this

population. The two met online four years ago in a group for artists with

chemical sensitivities.

Genser and Laffin will comprise the Board of Directors. The Advisory Board has

16 notable members with experience working in related fields, or with the

illness itself, including J. Rea, M.D., a pioneer in environmental

medicine and safer housing construction, Pamela -Gibson, Ph.D., an author

and researcher of the life impacts of environmental sensitivities, Magda Havas,

Ph.D., an expert on the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation, Carl

Grimes, President of the Indoor Air Quality Association, Bennie , the

former director of the Office of Disability at HUD, Molloy, a long-time

disability rights activist, and a Baker-Laporte, an architect experienced in

building for those with environmental sensitivities.

Some of the group's planned projects include awarding home renovation grants to

eligible individuals, construction of a clean air community as well as an

emergency shelter, and an architecture school outreach program that educates

students while collaborating on re|shelter's projects.

Genser studied Design and Environmental Analysis/Interior Design at Cornell

University and coordinated construction projects prior to getting ill. She had

just become certified in permaculture and ecovillage design, and was enrolled in

an intensive 4-month sustainable architecture semester at ECOSA Institute when

she became severely disabled by environmental illness and had to drop out of the

program. She has unique insight into re|shelter's target population: the last

five years she has moved seven times in search of safe housing that did not

severely affect her health.

Laffin also knows the struggle of finding safe housing; she searches each summer

for a place to escape the aerial crop spraying in her home county in northern

Illinois. Driven by compassion and personal insight into the particular problem

of housing for those with environmental illness, the two are very excited to be

taking this important step, as there is no other organization in existence today

that is solely focused on housing solutions for those with environmental

intolerances.

Contact: support@... | http://reshelter.org

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