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Tupperware helps out Habitat Corporate sponsors cover White City home By SUSAN JAY Habitat for Humanity isn't alone in building its 17th home. Tupperware franchisers in nine states have contributed $40,000 to build the newest Rogue Valley Habitat abode in White City. And three other companies -- Rogue Valley Homes Inc., Classic Steel Frame Homes and Greer & Co. -- are donating the commission and supervision costs of the home, Habitat's first steel frame building. "It certainly opens the doors for other people to come forward and put faith in action and help support Habitat," board president Kristi Tanner said of the new partnerships. The donation from Tupperware franchisers is the largest to Habitat/Rogue Valley from a corporate sponsor, Tanner said. It was Cathy Mendell's idea. She is a Tupperware vice president of regional sales for the nine western states, and she has lived in Medford for more than 20 years. She read the story about Habitat for Humanity and noted the charity's mission was similar to Tupperware's philosophy -- to help people find solutions. Mendell asked the franchisers in her region -- who represent 9,000 sales people -- if they were interested in helping a family with a Habitat home and they said yes. They decided that the first site should be near Mendell so she could be involved and learn more about the organization. She said they decided on $40,000 because that was the amount Habitat said it needed to cover the cost of building the structure, Mendell said. And, of course, Tupperware will outfit the kitchen with free Tupperware. Mendell hopes the franchisers will continue to select a site in their states. There are at least 60 other Habitat for Humanity organizations in the nine-state region, which includes Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Utah and Nevada. Tanner said she hopes other companies will follow Tupperware's lead. She said the charity decided to try steel framing to see if it is less costly than wood. Steel framing has advantages, Tanner said. The steel used is recycled, construction time is shorter and the framing is less vulnerable to fire. Habitat has two more homes in the works, but they are existing homes that will need to be moved and remodeled. One is among five homes donated by the Rogue Valley Manor, which were on Ellendale Dr., and another was donated by a family in Gold Hill. The donated Rogue Valley Manor home will be moved to Oakdale Avenue and the other possibly to Albert Street, in West Medford, Tanner said. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA