For Immediate Release

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND BALTIMORE RAVENS PARTNER TO BUILD THREE NEW ROWHOMES

Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake and the Baltimore Ravens All Community Team Foundation (RACTF) have joined together to build houses and further improve the community surrounding the M&T Bank Stadium area.

In a combined effort, the construction of three brand new rowhomes will take place in Baltimore’s Washington Village neighborhood, affectionately known as “Pigtown,” which is located on the west side of Russell Street near M&T Bank Stadium. Pigtown is an area in need of help, with approximately one-third of its residents living below the poverty line and with nearly one in eight homes abandoned or in need of significant repair.

Habitat has already rehabbed 20 homes near the project site, with the next phase involving the transformation of a vacant lot at 1200 Ward Street into 18 new rowhomes. The RACTF will fund three of these homes, which are scheduled to be completed by this Fall.

“This neighborhood, which surrounds the M&T Bank Stadium area, is important to both Habitat for Humanity and the Ravens,” team president Dick Cass stated. “We are honored to be a part of this building project and hope that our involvement will lead to joint future endeavors. We are delighted to partner with Habitat for Humanity on this venture.”

“Our Habitat Chesapeake board and staff are incredibly excited about partnering with the World Champion Baltimore Ravens,” Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake CEO Mike Posko added. “Our focus and efforts for this project are to continue the revitalization of a neighborhood within the shadows of M&T Bank Stadium.”

In addition to funding, the Ravens’ staff, players and coaches, as well as key Ravens business partners, will take part in two separate on-site building days on Friday, May 17 and Thursday, June 6.

In order to be considered for Habitat for Humanity housing, applicants must go through a rigorous eligibility process and meet the following criteria: the ability to pay a monthly mortgage; a need for decent housing; and a willingness to partner in the form of “sweat equity,” in which applicants become actively involved in the building process through volunteer hours.

Among the recipients of these new homes, deserving and qualified homeowners may include existing members of the Pigtown community, veterans and current members of the military and stadium workers from M&T Bank Stadium.

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About Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake:

As a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake works in partnership with families in need of housing to build simple, decent and affordable homes.

Since 1982, this non-profit organization, with the help of citizens that volunteer, has completed more than 295 homes and has housed more than 900 family members, half of which are children.

Houses are sold to qualified homebuyers at no profit through no-interest mortgage loans and homebuyers must first meet the requirements of Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake’s program.

Homebuyers work alongside thousands of volunteers to complete homes in several Baltimore City and county communities as well as communities in Anne Arundel County and Howard County and throughout the surrounding Chesapeake Bay area.

Please visit http://habitatchesapeake.org/ for more information.

About RACTF:

The Baltimore Ravens All Community Team Foundation (RACTF) is committed to improving, encouraging and enabling the healthy development of youth in the Baltimore area, as well as other parts of the state of Maryland. The foundation focuses on programs that help youth, and in some cases their families, with various needs, including housing, hunger, education, athletics and mentoring.

Please visit www.BaltimoreRavens.com/community for more information.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The statue of Johnny Unitas will receive some company outside M&T Bank Stadium sooner rather than later.

At the Ravens’ season-review press conference on Tuesday, owner Steve Bisciotti was asked whether the organization had plans to erect a statue of retiring linebacker Ray Lewis, who played his final game in winning Super Bowl XLVII after 17 years in Baltimore. The owner confirmed it’s simply a matter of when — not if — it will happen.

“We have to work that out [as far as] where and how long it takes, but yes,” Bisciotti said. “I think he set himself apart in Baltimore sports history, and we will certainly look into it. I would not be surprised if there’s one there in the next year or two.”

Lewis will become eligible for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

The Ravens have also begun working on designs for their Super Bowl championship ring, but Bisciotti confirmed what they will be made from after polling his players prior to the downtown parade on Tuesday.

“They wanted white gold instead of gold,” Bisciotti said. “We talked in the locker room while we were preparing for the parade. That was the only question I asked. I said we were going to start working on the designs. We have no idea what the design is going to be.”

Based on the history of NFL championship rings in recent years, you can expect the jewelry to be gaudy and flashy in celebration of the Ravens’ second world championship in their 17-year history.

“Steve assured me that he is going to design a ring that I will never wear,” said team president Dick Cass as he laughed.

Dear Steve, Dick and the rest of the Ravens organization:

Please consider this as a follow-up note to something I wrote about last December when you all announced that training camp was being relocated from Westminster to Owings Mills for 2012.

You guys took a lot of grief from the fans – and some media members – for that decision, although I can proudly say I was one of the folks who implored everyone to exercise some patience and wait and see how the Ravens handled everything before making a full judgement.

I predicted, quite quickly after your decision was announced, that the Ravens would go above and beyond the call-of-duty to make sure  the fans were “taken care of”.  I suggested that fans simply wait and see what plans were made for the summer of 2012 and that my guess was they wouldn’t be disappointed.  I just happen to have a copy of that piece I wrote, in fact.  You can read it HERE. 

As you can see, my prediction was right.

Once again, you all came through.

I was out at Owings Mills last week to witness first-hand how the 250 fans who were “invited guests” were treated.  I watched them interact with the players afterwards and I saw the smiling faces of both parties.  I even took a picture for a family of four from Annapolis out in front of The Castle.  I asked them how their day went and 11-year old Amanda said, “Joe Flacco said ‘I like your braces!’ to me!!”.

That Flacco, what a touch, huh?  By the way…if I haven’t told you this, I will now.  That kid is a helluva quarterback and a terrific representative of your franchise.  I’d go on to tell you to pay him and keep him here long-term, but I know you’re already trying to do that.

Anyway, back to training camp.

I was impressed with what I saw at Owings Mills, but the real litmus test for those promises you made would come on Saturday at the first of the three open practices.

Let me first say this:  I completely understand how much of a pain in the ass it is to move camp to the big stadium for one day.  Most fans (and even some media members) don’t really see how difficult that was to manufacture on Saturday, but I do.

As is usually the case with the Ravens, you all pulled it off like a road win in Cleveland.  With ease.

The practice moved along smoothly and the fans were always aware of the drill that was taking place on the field.  No one was bored.  If watching practice can be considered exciting – and to the 20,000 who were there, it was – then Saturday’s event delivered the goods for everyone.

I watched all of the players make their way around the bowl of the stadium and sign autographs.  I’m sure everyone who wanted one didn’t succeed because of the sheer volume of people, but I’ll tell you what I didn’t see.  I didn’t see one player sign for 25 people and then casually stroll down the steps and off the field.  And I stood there and watched, trust me.  Every guy signed hundreds of autographs.  And then some.

So, congratulations on following through on your promise to keep the fans involved as best as you possibly can.

You won’t get many of these letters, because folks are always quick to bash you but slow to say “Well Done!”.

I’m here to say “Well Done!”

Best wishes for a successful 2012.

DF

P.S. I won’t be this nice to you guys if you lose to the Steelers this season.