Habitat for Humanity

What it does

What it is

• A nonprofit, ecumenical Christian ministry

• Builds with people regardless of race or religion

• Welcomes volunteers and supporters

How it helps

• Habitat helps by building or renovating simple homes

• Builds or fixes homes for families left homeless by natural disaster, war, and civil unrest

• Provide shelter and housing assistance for families in need

How it works

• Volunteer labor and donations

• Homeowners help build their homes and others homes

• Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans

• Homeowners' monthly payments are used to build more habitat houses

Why it is needed

• Worldwide, some 827.6 million people live in urban slums.

• By 2020, it is estimated the world slum population will reach almost 1 billion.

• Lack of clean water and sanitation claim the lives of more than 1.8 million young children every year.

• Minimum wage is not keeping up with the rising cost of living and many workers struggle to afford decent housing.

What Habitat is about

The history of Habitat

Koinonia Farm

Habitat for Humanity International was founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller.

The concept that grew into Habitat for Humanity International was born at Koinonia Farm, a small, interracial, Christian community outside of Americus, Georgia.

Koinonia Farm was founded in 1942 by farmer and biblical scholar Clarence Jordan.

Millard and Linda Fuller Millard Fuller and Clarence Jordan

Koinonia Farm

The Fullers first visited Koinonia in 1965.

At Koinonia, Jordan and Fuller developed the concept of “partnership housing.”

The concept centered on those in need of adequate shelter working side by side with volunteers to build simple, decent houses.

The Fund for Humanity

The houses would be built at no profit and interest would not be charged on the loans.

The fund’s money would come from the new homeowners’ house payments, no-interest loans provided by supporters and money earned by fund-raising activities.

Inception of Habitat for Humanity

In 1968, Koinonia laid out 42 half-acre house sites with four acres reserved as a community park and recreational area. Capital was donated from around the country to start the work.

Homes were built and sold to families in need at no profit and no interest. The basic model of Habitat for Humanity was begun.

Zaire

In 1973, the Fullers decided to apply the Fund for Humanity concept in developing countries. The Fuller family moved to Mbandaka, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo.)

The Fullers’ goal was to offer affordable yet adequate shelter to 2,000 people.

After three years of hard work to launch a successful house building program, the Fullers returned to the United States.

More than half of all Habitat houses are built outside the United States, many in developing nations.

Further progress

In September 1976, Millard and Linda called together a group of supporters to discuss the future of their dream. Habitat for Humanity International as an organization was born at this meeting.

In 1984, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn took their first Habitat work trip, the Jimmy Carter Work Project, to New York City. Their personal involvement in Habitat’s ministry brought the organization national visibility and sparked interest in Habitat’s work across the nation.

The first U.S. Habitat house built outside of Georgia is completed in 1979 in San Antonio, Texas

Habitat today

Through the work of Habitat, thousands of low-income families have found new hope in the form of affordable housing.

Churches, community groups and others have joined together to successfully tackle a significant social problem―decent housing for all.

Thousands of students participate in Collegiate Challenge each year, using their school breaks to build houses with Habitat affiliates around the world.

More about Habitat

How Big it is

• More than 1,500 affiliates in the U.S.

• More than 70 national organizations Worldwide

• Together built or repaired more than 800,000 houses

• Served more than 4 million people Worldwide

Habitat statistics

What are Habitat houses like?

Habitat for Humanity houses around the world are built according to the same guiding principles:

• Simple

• Decent

• Affordable

Houses in North America

Houses around the world

How are families selected to receive Habitat houses?

• Families in need of decent shelter

• Homeowners are chosen based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program and their ability to repay the loan

• Every affiliate follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection; neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the families who receive Habitat houses

How you can help

Donate

Donations to Habitat for Humanity provide vital financial support to help us build and repair houses.

All donations of any amount are deeply appreciated and help build more decent, affordable houses with more families across the globe. 

Your donation will go where it is needed most, unless you specify a particular location for it to be used.

Volunteer

More than 1 million people each year volunteer to build with the Habitat under trained supervision.

Contact your local Habitat for Humanity to learn about Volunteer options.

You can make a difference