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- A nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry.
- We seek to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.
- To accomplish these goals, we invite people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need.
- Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller, along with his wife, Linda.
- Today, we have built over 300,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1.5 million people in 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter. A Habitat home is completed somewhere in the world every 21 minutes.
How does it work?
- Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses alongside our homeowner (partner) families.
- Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor (sweat equity) into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.
- Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans.
- The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.
How are partner families selected?
- Families in need of decent shelter apply to local Habitat affiliates.
- The affiliate’s family selection committee chooses homeowners 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.
What does a Habitat house cost?
- From US$800 in some developing countries to an average of nearly US$60,000 in the United States.
- Mortgage length varies from 7 to 30 years.
What are Habitat affiliates?
- Community-level Habitat for Humanity offices that act in partnership with and on behalf of Habitat for Humanity International.
- Each affiliate is an independently run, nonprofit organization.
- Each affiliate coordinates all aspects of Habitat home building in its local area—fund raising; building site selection; partner family selection and support; house construction; and mortgage servicing.
Where does Habitat for Humanity operate?
- Worldwide, including more than 90 countries and in all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Use our search engine to find local affiliates and connect with Habitat in your community.
- Our operational headquarters are located in Americus, Georgia, USA.
- Our administrative headquarters are located in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
How are donations distributed and used?
- Donations, whether to a local Habitat affiliate or to Habitat for Humanity International, are used as designated by the donor.
- Gifts received by HFHI that are designated to a specific affiliate or building project are forwarded to that affiliate or project.
- Undesignated gifts are used where most needed and for administrative expenses.
- HFHI’s most recent audited financial statement is available online.
Learn more at the Habitat for Humanity International website
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