ATLANTA (March 3, 2005) - Atlanta philanthropist Arthur M. Blank has teamed with Piedmont Hospital and Atlanta Habitat for Humanity to build a home for a local family in need.

Piedmont Hospital announced today that Blank, owner and CEO of the Atlanta Falcons and Georgia Force football clubs, chairman of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and co-founder of The Home Depot, Inc., will serve as honorary chairman of the hospital's Habitat for Humanity build.

"Arthur Blank is a tremendous community supporter," said President and CEO Robert Maynard. "It was a natural fit to ask him to participate in Piedmont's Habitat building project and to honor him for all that he has done to make Atlanta a better place."

More than 250 Piedmont employees will participate in seven Saturday building sessions starting March 5 to get the home ready for the Buenrostro family. Jose and America Buenrostro are looking forward to becoming homeowners and providing a safer home for their children, Jose, 10 and Alexis, 6.

Blank will visit the building site on Saturday, March 5, the first build day, to meet and congratulate the Buenrostros. He also will thank volunteers for their efforts.

Construction of the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity house is one of many festivities planned this year to commemorate Piedmont Hospital's centennial anniversary. Piedmont is celebrating 100 years of service to the Atlanta community. The home will be built in the Peoplestown neighborhood on Washington Street near the original site of the Piedmont Sanatorium. A Turner Field parking lot is now the tenant of the space where the sanatorium once stood.

"Piedmont's volunteers are dedicated to putting in the hours and labor to build a dream home for the Buenrostros," Maynard said.