About Habitat
What is Habitat for Humanity
Since its founding in 1976 by Millard and Linda
Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International has built and
rehabilitated more than 175,000 houses with families in need,
becoming a true world leader in addressing the issues of poverty
housing.
Koinonia Farm and the Fund for
Humanity
The concept that grew into Habitat for Humanity International
was born at Koinonia Farm,
a small, interracial, Christian farming community founded in
1942 outside of Americus, Ga., by farmer and biblical scholar
Clarence Jordan. The Fullers first visited Koinonia in 1965,
having recently left a successful business in Montgomery, Ala.,
and all the trappings of an affluent lifestyle to begin a new
life of Christian service. At Koinonia, Jordan and Fuller
developed the concept of "partnership housing" -- where those in
need of adequate shelter would work side by side with volunteers
to build simple, decent houses.
The houses would be built with no profit added and no interest
charged. Building would be financed by a revolving Fund for
Humanity. The fund's money would come from the new homeowners'
house payments, donations and no-interest loans provided by
supporters and money earned by fund-raising activities. The
monies in the Fund for Humanity would be used to build more
houses.
An open letter to the friends of Koinonia Farm told of the new
future for Koinonia:
What the poor need is not charity but capital, not caseworkers
but co-workers. And what the rich need is a wise, honorable and
just way of divesting themselves of their overabundance. The
Fund for Humanity will meet both of these needs. Money for the
fund will come from shared gifts by those who feel they have
more than they need and from non-interest bearing loans from
those who cannot afford to make a gift but who do want to
provide working capital for the disinherited. . . The fund will
give away no money. It is not a handout.
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 theUnited States.
Habitat for Humanity International
In September 1976, Millard and Linda called together a group of
supporters to discuss the future of their dream. Habitat for
Humanity International (HFHI) as an organization was born at
this meeting. The eight years that followed, vividly described
in Millard Fuller's book,Love in the Mortar Joints, proved that
the vision of a housing ministry was workable. Faith, hard work
and direction set HFHI on its successful course.
Phenomenal Growth
In 1984, former U.S. President Jimmy
Carter and his wife Rosalynn took their first Habitat work
trip, the Jimmy
Carter Work Project, toNew York City. Their personal
involvement in Habitat's ministry brought the organization
national visibility and sparked interest in Habitat's work
across the nation. HFHI experienced a dramatic increase in the
number of new affiliates around the country.
The Results
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.
Today, Habitat for Humanity has built more than 175,000 houses,
sheltering more than 900,000 people in some 3,000 communities
worldwide.
Habitat houses are affordable
because:
-Houses are
sold at no profit, with no interest
charged
on the mortgage
-Homeowners
and volunteers build the houses
under
trained supervision
-Individuals,
corporations, faith groups and others
provide
financial support