Housatonic Habitat for Humanity

How Habitat Works
Housatonic Habitat for Humanity (HHH) builds homes and revitalizes neighborhoods in the greater Danbury area. We rely on the support of volunteers, faith-based communities, and businesses located throughout northern Fairfield and southern Litchfield counties. Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need.

Homes are built by volunteers who are trained and supervised by our professional construction supervisors. Financial support, materials donations, and construction services are provided by individuals, corporations, and faith groups.  Less than 10% of our funding comes from state or federal sources.

Habitat helps build stronger neighborhoods in which the new homeowner is a key stakeholder. In some areas the sight of children at play replaces drug dealing and other crime. Home ownership creates hope, stability and a better quality of life; and Habitat remains part of their lives, with support for families if it is ever needed.

Engaging Homeowner Partners
Habitat provides "a hand up, not a handout." Homes are purchased from HHH through a zero-interest, 20- or 30-year mortgage held by HHH.  Since most of the labor is donated time the overall cost of each home is much less than would be normal.  HHH sells each home at no profit.  Homeowners often find their monthly mortgage payment is far less costly than when they rented.

Selection of homeowners is based on a family's need for decent affordable shelter, household income that is 60 percent below the median for the Danbury area and a willingness to partner with HHH by investing sweat equity and making mortgage payments reliably.

Each family contributes 400 hours of sweat equity – most of it goes into building their own home, but some does go into building other Habitat houses. New Habitat homeowners complete a series of homeowner classes and typically become role models for other homeowners in the neighborhood.

Click here to learn more about our homeowners and the homeownership process at Housatonic Habitat for Humanity. (this link takes them to: Homeownership / Habitat Builds Homeowners)

Join Us!

As an individual:

• Volunteer -- on construction, at the ReStore, in the office, on a committee, on the Board, or on a special event.
• Make a donation – online or by mail, donate a car, or choose your favorite way to support our work.

With Your Faith-Based Organization:

• Use Habitat as an outreach project -- send a work crew, funds, meals, or prayers
• Join a faith-based coalition in sponsoring a house

Through Your Business:

• Make an in-kind gift of materials, tools, or services
• Become a corporate member ($1,000 or more)
• Sponsor a house in full or in part ($10,000 to $180,000)