Balfour Beatty Communities Presents Three-Year, $75,000 Grant to Project H.O.M.E. in Philadelphia

Newtown Square, PA – October 26, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — In conjunction with parent company Balfour Beatty plc, Balfour Beatty Communities, LLC has established a three-year grant totaling $75,000 to be donated to Project H.O.M.E., an organization in Philadelphia dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness and addressing the structural causes of poverty. The first $25,000 installment of the grant was donated in a check presentation ceremony on Tuesday, October 20th at Project H.O.M.E.’s Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs in Philadelphia.

Through a collaborative effort with parent company Balfour Beatty plc in London, Balfour Beatty Communities will donate $25,000 per year for three years in support of the mission and goals of Project H.O.M.E. The grant will specifically focus on funding the newly created Balfour Beatty Math Program for students K-6, formally incorporating math education into Project H.O.M.E.’s K-6 afterschool curriculum using two primary methods: Project-Based Learning based on best practices, and First in Math software.

“We are proud to have the opportunity to support such an outstanding organization as Project H.O.M.E,” said Bruce Robinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Balfour Beatty Communities. “The mission of the organization is a great fit with Balfour Beatty’s commitment to improving the communities in which we live and work. The efforts of Project H.O.M.E. go a long way towards improving the Philadelphia community and its residents who are in the most need, and we are happy to provide such a group with the resources and support needed to put great ideas into action.”

Project H.O.M.E. – Housing, Opportunities for Employment, Medical Care, and Education – operates a network of programs and services including housing and street outreach; community development; and education and employment. The Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs is the centerpiece of Project H.O.M.E.’s revitalization strategy for the St. Elizabeth’s/Diamond Street section of North Central Philadelphia. It is the largest and most technologically advanced learning facility to serve low-income populations in Philadelphia.

“We cannot thank Balfour Beatty Communities enough for their extremely generous gift,” said Renee Murdock, Vice President of Operations for Project H.O.M.E. “This grant will be invaluable and provides a range of new opportunities for our organization and the people who benefit from our services, particularly children. A key component of Project H.O.M.E.’s neighborhood revitalization efforts is strengthening the future of formerly homeless and lowincome children. The programs offered at the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs provide a safe, nurturing and challenging academic environment where children are encouraged to achieve their highest potential. We are eager to put Balfour Beatty’s grant to use in expanding these programs as we celebrate our 20th anniversary.”

The Project H.O.M.E. grant is part of a charitable giving initiative surrounding the 100th anniversary of Balfour Beatty plc. For the centenary year, the company has set up a charitable trust fund called “Building Better Futures,” the primary goal of which is to support disadvantaged young people by providing financial assistance to a wide range of projects and programs designed by experts to help young people advance in life.

Photographs of the check presentation and visit can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/yf2sms4.
For additional details, please contact Lauren Rumsey at ">.

About Project H.O.M.E
(www.projecthome.org)

Since 1989, Project H.O.M.E. has helped more than 8,000 people break the cycle of homelessness and poverty by providing a continuum of care that includes street outreach, supportive housing and comprehensive services that focus on health care, education and employment. The organization works to prevent homelessness and poverty through comprehensive neighborhood revitalization in North Philadelphia. These efforts include the renovation of vacant or deteriorated houses which are then sold to first-time homebuyers, economic reinvestment along the Ridge Avenue Corridor, greening of vacant lots, adult and youth education and enrichment programs at the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs and community-based health care services.

About Balfour Beatty Communities
(www.bbcgrp.com)
Balfour Beatty Communities, LLC is responsible for the development, renovation, operation and management of military privatization housing projects for the U.S. Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Company has been a leader in the military housing industry, and provides services to members of the U.S. military and their families residing on or near bases located in 20 states and Washington, DC. Currently based in Newtown Square, PA, the company employs approximately 1,000 people nationwide. Balfour Beatty Communities is a subsidiary of Balfour Beatty Capital Group, Inc.

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For more information contact:

At The Company
Kathleen M. Grim
610.355.8206
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Gregory FCA
Lauren Rumsey
610-228-2132
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(General Media Contact)