Community Development, Not Charity

The HABITAT Vision

"The goal of Habitat for Humanity is to completely eliminate poverty housing and homelessness.  We are making decent shelter a matter of conscience.  Our intention is to make substandard housing and homelessness socially, politically, morally and religiously unacceptable."    Millard Fuller, The Theology of the Hammer

Habitat for Humanity is not, strictly speaking, a charity.  HFH is an economic and community development organization commited to achieving community transformation by providing decent and affordable homes to hard-working families. 

By bringing together several dynamic community forces - businesses, churches, govenment, volunteers, families in need, community planners, chambers of commerce - Habitat creates a unique catalyst for lasting, multi-generational impact. 

Each Habitat home is sold (not given away) to a pre-qualified individual or family.  Sponsors (companies, churches, organizations, individuals) supply both the financial resources to purchase building materials and the volunteer labor to build Habitat houses, which are then sold to the homeowner at zero percent interest through a 20 or 25 year mortgage.  Habitat builds the home, sells the home, and manages the mortgage, as long as the homeower remains in the home.    Over 200 volunteers are required to build a home...annually, Habitat invests over $1,000,000 and mobilizes over 3,000 volunteers to build our houses. 

Why do we do this?  At the heart of what Habitat does is the value of each person and the impact of homeownership.

The Impact of Home Ownership

Home ownership - and the positive, transformative impact that flows out from it like ripples in a pond - is recognized as a major component in community and economic development.  In a study conducted in 2004 by Byrne Allen Corporation and Gallo and Associates, it was shown that homeowners are:

• more likely to offer a more stimulating and supportive home environment for their children
• more likely to transfer management and financial skills necessary for homeownership to their children
• more likely to vote locally (69% vs. 44% for renters)
• more likely to participate in civic organizations, community affairs and volunteer organizations
• happier and more satisfied with their lives and their choice to purchase rather than rent a home
• friendlier and more socially communicative with neighbors, and have increased self-esteem, personal security and personal health

Children of homeowners are:

• more likely to achieve higher grades on academic (math and reading) achievement tests
• more likely to graduate from high school
• more likely to achieve higher levels of education
• more likely to translate educational attainment into increased earnings
• less likely to be behavioral problems in high school
• more likely to hold a preference for homeownership and become homeowners themselves
• more likely to earn substantially higher levels of housing and non-housing wealth than children of renters

Dr. Stephen Dolinger, Ed.D., President and CEO of Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, has identified homeownership as one of three necessary components in preparing a strong future workforce - education and locally owned business being the other two.  A strong future workforce is the key component of successful and sustainable community and economic development.

How To Sponsor A House

There are several ways to sponsor the construction of a Habitat house.  All the fees of sponsorship are used to provide building materials and to underwrite the costs of contract labor, certifications and inspections.  CLICK HERE to go to our "Sponsor A House" page in our website, to learn how your organization can be a team partner with Habitat in building a home!