Habitat for Humanity

Founded in 1976 in Americus, Georgia, by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International and its 2,100 affiliates in 100 countries comprise a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in 3,000 communities around the world, using the faith-based “partnership housing” model its founders developed during their stay at the rural Georgia Christian community Koinonia Farm in the 1960s. Families in need work alongside volunteers building their homes; “sweat equity” enhances pride of ownership and reduces construction costs, which in the United States averages around $59,000. Families repay the cost over 7 to 30 years in a no-interest mortgage, paid into a locally administered revolving “Fund for Humanity” that finances more homes.

In turn, Habitat affiliates in developed countries are encouraged to “tithe”10% of their funds to less privileged chapters, thus fostering a global sense of community responsibility and action. The no-interest, no-profit model, also called biblical economics, refers to Exodus 22:25, which says that a lender to the poor should not act as creditor and should not charge interest. Habitat's mission and methods are derived from a few key theological concepts: faith in action, the belief that in order to fully reflect Christ's love we must love one another, and true love shows itself only in action: the “economics of Jesus,” the belief that God magnifies the efforts of people who give in response to human need without seeking profit or interest; and the “theology of the hammer,” bridging theological and religious differences by putting love into action. Although every Habitat building session begins with group prayer, and every new homeowner is presented with a Bible, the organization takes the ecumenical in its mission statement seriously: neither needy families nor volunteers are selected on the basis of religious beliefs or race. Emphasizing the autonomy of its local affiliates, Habitat generally selects families whose income is 30 to 50% below the average income for their area, who are expected to contribute a $500 downpayment and contribute 300 to 500 hours of labor on their house or someone else's house. Habitat's worldview is often associated with the presidency of Jimmy Carter. Headquartered near the Carters' Georgia home, the organization came to [Page 668]their attention early on, and they have greatly raised Habitat's profile worldwide.

Habitat for Humanity has built more than 200,000 houses in 3,000 communities around the world.

Source: Photo by The Sound Community Church, Tacoma, WA. http://www.the-sound.org.

For their annual “Jimmy Carter Work Project,” the Carters themselves work on a build in a surprise location. The organization also runs ancillary projects, including special “building blitzes” by college student volunteers and church groups, initiatives to increase the number of women in the construction industry, “Habitat ReStore” reselling donated construction materials for further support, and international information-sharing and travel programs. All of their efforts are meant to stem the international housing crisis, the result of growing number of people in substandard “poverty housing” and shrinking governmental aid.

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