(BOISE) The Wells Fargo Housing Foundation recently contributed $10,000 to the Finally Home!® Homebuyer Education Program administered by the Idaho Partners for Homebuyer Education, Inc. (IPHBE, Inc.). The Wells Fargo Foundation contributed an additional $5,000.

“Wells Fargo is committed to promoting the economic advancement of everyone in the communities we serve and to providing homeownership opportunities,” said Jane Pavek, Wells Fargo vice-president and community development officer. “Working with organizations such as Idaho Partners for Homebuyer Education, enables us to assist in providing information and knowledge about the home buying process, which empowers the consumer to make smart choices.”

Five thousand dollars from each Foundation will assist with operating expenses, such as payments to the program’s training partners and costs for the distribution of the Finally Home!? textbook. The $5,000 balance from the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation will assist with the cost of translating the textbook into Spanish. IPHBE, Inc. hopes to distribute the newly translated textbook in June 2007. “The translation of the Finally Home!? textbook to Spanish removes the language barrier for an often overlooked segment of the population,” said Pavek. “It further demonstrates that Wells Fargo values diversity and respects all cultural backgrounds.”

“The ability to offer our textbook in Spanish greatly increases our efforts toward meeting the needs of minority homebuyers,” said Sue Pisani, Finally Home!? Homebuyer Education Administrator. “Wells Fargo plays a prominent role in the success of our program and it is through the support of organizations like theirs that our program is able to fully serve the citizens of Idaho.”

The Homebuyer Education program is provided by the IPHBE, Inc., a nonprofit organization that has joined with local partners in Idaho to offer Finally Home!® classes every month statewide. Class content covers issues including credit and budgeting issues, qualifying for a mortgage, choosing a real estate professional, and making an offer on a home and closing.

Finally Home!® has graduated more than 16,000 future Idaho homeowners since its inception.

###

The Idaho Housing and Finance Association, a financial services and housing business organization, provides funding for affordable housing in communities where it is most needed and when economically feasible.