Sep 18 2007: As an encore to their successful event at Mate Restaurant this spring, the Ms. Manor team has planned another fundraiser to benefit D.C. Habitat for Humanity, this time at the posh Helix Lounge in the Hotel Helix, 1430 Rhode Island Avenue, NW. The event will be held Thursday, September 20th from 7:00 to 9:30 PM.

The Ms. Manor committee is composed of community-minded, professional women who came together through mutual friends and through a common interest in giving back to their city. Representing diverse industries – including lobbying, retail, and the fitness industries – they have bonded as a committee and creative team, united in their efforts to make a difference. Christening the project "Ms. Manor" to reflect the spirit of the women involved, the group's challenge is to raise $145,000 and assemble enough volunteer teams to fully complete one house on land donated by the District of Columbia in Northeast DC.

"80% of Habitat’s homes in the current D.C. development in Northeast actually go to women. When the opportunity came up for a few of our businesses to be a part of the DC development, the idea grew and suddenly we had a group of women ready to do all we could," said Robbie Kaplan, buyer for Washington’s local Ace Hardware stores and member of Ms. Manor.

The September fundraiser will include a silent auction, a prize wheel, and other opportunities to win prizes in exchange for donations to Habitat for Humanity. Local restaurants, retailers, and artists have contributed various items to the auction, including hotel stays, dinners, yoga classes, pet-sitting, and artwork. Helix Lounge will also offer a special drink menu. 100% of proceeds from the event will benefit DC Habitat for Humanity’s mission to empower low-income working families to buy affordable, volunteer-built Habitat homes, revitalizing their neighborhoods and strengthening their futures.

"Without groups like Ms. Manor raising much-needed funds for us, we would literally have no way to buy the lumber, nails, siding, kitchen sink and hundreds of other materials that go in to building a home that will give a hard-working family a hand up out of the disgraceful housing currently available to low-income families," said Mary Phelan, Director of Development for DC Habitat for Humanity. "We value their hard work and their commitment to the community."

Ms. Manor’s website, www.msmanordc.org, offers a registry of items that anyone can purchase from to contribute to the building of the Habitat home. Similar to a wedding registry, Ms. Manor’s allows contributors to purchase various items, from light switches and hammers to fertilizer and gutters, ranging in price from $5 to $1,000.