Lockheed Martin interns will begin working with Habitat for Humanity to build three houses in downtown Orlando on Friday, July 29.

Approximately 35 Lockheed Martin employees and interns will help complete exterior work on the houses. Twelve of the interns are a part of the University of Central Florida (UCF)-Lockheed Martin Work Experience Program, and have been working in technical positions throughout the summer.

"At Lockheed Martin, we believe that encouraging our employees to give back to the community is both an individual and business imperative," said Gary McPherson, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control director of Human Resources and Staffing. "We are dedicated to the premise that building a better world starts at the local level and strive to be a leader in service throughout our local communities. By working with Habitat for Humanity, we hope to reach out to the community, while providing our entry-level talent with an opportunity to get involved and learn valuable mentoring and leadership skills while having fun with their co-workers."

To date, 263 Lockheed Martin employees in central Florida have logged more than 16,566 hours of community service this year. Last year, 493 Lockheed Martin employees donated approximately 38,917 hours of service.

"The Lockheed Martin volunteers are putting their hands and hearts into helping deserving families realize the American dream of home ownership," said Dee Danmeyer, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Orlando. "We depend upon our business partners and volunteers who are making a lasting change in the lives of Habitat families and the community. Thanks to the Lockheed Martin volunteers, we are building more than homes -- we are building hope and a brighter future for us all."

Employees on Friday will begin working on the houses at 8:00 a.m. and will finish at 2:00 p.m. The houses are located on Kaley Street in Orlando. For more information, please contact Habitat for Humanity at (407) 648-4567.

"The University of Central Florida takes great pride in the participation of our students in the Habitat for Humanity Project," said Amy Kleeman, associate director of Career Services and Experiential Learning at the University of Central Florida. "The UCF-Lockheed Martin Work Experience Program is an exceptional partnership that allows students to augment their education through workplace application on-site at Lockheed Martin facilities in Orlando."

Habitat for Humanity International is dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. The nonprofit organization has built 200,000 affordable houses for more than 1 million people.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services.

For additional information, visit our web site:

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin