On Monday, November 5, 2018 we will kick-off Agricultural Entrepreneurship Week with an event that involves students and staff from across the university.

After the January 2010 earthquake which devastated Haiti, Sukup Manufacturing Co. began designing and manufacturing metal grain bin homes, called the Safe T Home^®, to be shipped and built in developing countries to provide shelter and safety to families in need. Since 2011, more than 300 homes have been built across the world in countries like Haiti and Uganda. In 2016, all 200 homes in Haiti at the time withstood Category 4 Hurricane Matthew with just minimal damage. These homes can be built in just one day with simple hand tools and a passionate group of people.

In hopes to showcase this project, the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative and Sukup will be building one Safe T Home^® at the Hansen Ag Learning Center in Ames during the afternoon of November 5^th.  We are asking for volunteers to sign-up for 1.5 hour shifts to help build the display home. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate. Please use this link to sign-up to participate.

“Entrepreneurship is part of my grandpa Eugene’s legacy, so we are thrilled to participate in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Ag Entrepreneurship Week,” said Emily Schmitt, Sukup Manufacturing General Counsel and third generation family member. “The Safe T Home^® is a very special project to the company and my family, and we can’t wait to see it built on Central Campus at Iowa State, a university that means so much to us!”

“We appreciate this partnership with Sukup Manufacturing in creating an important experience for students,” commented Kevin Kimle, Director of the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative.  “Being entrepreneurial can apply outside of startups and businesses and be about making social and community impact.”

To learn more about Sukup Manufacturing and the Safe T Home^® project, visit http://www.SafeTHome.com/.

Contacts: 

Amanda Blair, Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative, acblair@iastate.edu