American Red Cross

Contact: Natalie Fedie
natalie.fedie@ci.stpaul.mn.us
651-266-6549 (o)
651-357-7555 (c)

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition arrives in Saint Paul to help community day care provider in District Del Sol neighborhood.

SAINT PAUL – Today, the life of a Saint Paul family changed forever when they were surprised by Ty Pennington and Extreme Makeover:Home Edition’s design team and told they would be the recipients of a new home in just seven days. TJB Homes, Inc. along with thousands of volunteers, will 24-hours-a-day for the following week to make possible the impossible for the Morris family.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Saint Paul to host Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I thank the producers and designers, TJB Homes, and all the volunteers who are impacting both the family and the community in such a positive manner,” Mayor Chris Coleman said.

Sixteen years ago, Sandy Morris was pregnant with her first child and working as an early childhood education teacher. After the birth of her daughter, Catricia, Sandy examined her daycare options and discovered that none of them met her standards. Sandy decided to quit her job and start her own daycare in the community where she’d grown up. Because most high-quality daycares were too expensive for her neighbors, Sandy found ways to run her daycare at a lower cost and charges just enough to support herself and her family. She also offers a multicultural environment to these children, who affectionately call her “Tia Sandy.” Sandy’s dedication to her daycare and her community has produced one of the best daycares in the city. Unfortunately, Sandy runs her daycare out of their 100-year-old home, which is falling apart. The numerous repairs needed to make the home safe threaten to shut down the daycare. Now it’s up to Ty and the designers to build Sandy, 40, her daughter Catricia, 15, and her son Mychal, 12, a safe home that is a sanctuary for their family and will enable Sandy’s daycare to remain a center of community life and education.

The current Morris house at 226 Prescott Street will be demolished at 9 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4.

District del Sol is located on Saint Paul’s West Side just south of downtown. The West Side gets its name because the neighborhood is the only part of Saint Paul on the west side of the Mississippi River, which borders the neighborhood on three sides as it curves around the valley. The district hosts the city’s oldest Mexican restaurant and one of the largest Cinco de Mayo Fiestas in the United States. District del Sol is known as one of Saint Paul's most diverse and spiciest neighborhoods.
 
A food and blood drive will accompany the build. Spectators are asked to bring a non-perishable donation as the admission to the watch the filming of the show with a goal to raise more than 25,000lbs of food for Neighborhood House Food Shelf. Food donations can be brought directly to the Neighborhood House at Wellstone Center (179 Robie Street East, St. Paul, MN) or dropped off at the spectator parking lot at the Signal Hills Center in West St. Paul, MN. Visit www.neighb.org for more information and updates on the food drive.

The American Red Cross hosts convenient blood drives throughout the region for fans to give blood and show their support of the show. On Oct. 8 and 9 the Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.at the Neighborhood House at Wellstone Center (179 Robie Street East, St. Paul, MN). The Red Cross has set a donation goal of 4,800 blood and 475 platelet donations during the build (Oct. 2-9) for all blood drives combined. Eligible donors are encouraged to call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (448-3543) or go online to www.givebloodgivelife.org  to find a blood drive and schedule an appointment for the “extreme” week of blood drives.

Spectators are welcome Oct. 2 to 9 from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. There is no parking on the site. Free parking and shuttle service to the site will be provided from 8 a.m to 8 p.m. Monday Oct. 5 to Friday Oct. 9 at Signal Hills Center Parking Lot, (50 Signal Hills Center, West St. Paul, MN).

Media Information
There is no parking available on site for the rest of the week. Beginning Monday, Oct 5, drive to the check-in area at Signal Hills Center Parking Lot, (50 Signal Hills Center, West St. Paul, MN)

Once checked in, media can board a shuttle bus which will go to the build site. Shuttle buses will be running from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, to Friday, Oct. 9.
• Closed-toe shoes are required on the build site.
• Contact Natalie Fedie at 651-357-7555 or Jereomy Fiskewold at 763-286-0197 if you have specific questions or needs.

About ABC-TVs Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which won back-to-back Emmy Awards for Best Reality Program (non-competitive), is entering its seventh season on ABC and has helped over 120 deserving families. The program is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. The show airs on Sundays (7-8 p.m. Central) on the ABC Television network.
About TJB Homes, Inc.

TJB Homes, Inc. is a family run business located in Blaine, Minn. founded in 1980 by owner Thomas J. Budzynski. TJB Homes, Inc. has been credited with many of the new concepts that are used in the Parade of Homes and Spring Preview and has won several sales and building awards. During his career, Tom has served on the Board of Directors for the St. Paul Builder's Association. As the builder of the Extreme Makeover Home 100th Edition in August 2007, Tom Budzynski speaks to groups about the EMHE Project, Team Building, Leadership, Real Estate or other topics.

About the American Red Cross
The North Central Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross is the largest blood supplier in Minnesota, serving 111 hospitals in the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota, western Wisconsin and eastern South Dakota. Governed by volunteers and supported by giving individuals and communities, the American Red Cross is the single largest supplier of blood products to hospitals throughout the United States. While local hospital needs are always met first, the Red Cross also helps ensure no patient goes without blood no matter where or when they need it. In addition to providing nearly half of the nation’s blood supply, the Red Cross provides relief to victims of disaster, trains millions in lifesaving skills, serves as a communication link between U.S. military members and their families, and assists victims of international disasters or conflicts. For more information call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (448-3543) or go to givebloodgivelife.org .

About the Neighborhood House
Neighborhood House is a multi-cultural, multi-lingual center, open to all, and committed to the success of refugees and new immigrants. Providing services in the settlement house tradition since 1897 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Neighborhood House helps people, individuals and organizations develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive in diverse communities by offering basic needs assistance, educational opportunities and a youth leadership program.  Neighborhood House has been privileged to work with people from more than fifty ethnic populations as they build and sustain productive new lives and has received numerous awards for its programs and responsible fiscal management. For more information, call 651.789.2500 or go to www.neighb.org