Habitat builds the lives of those families who become homeowners, volunteers and donors. It is a fulfilling partnership and a lasting contribution to our community.

Habitat for Humanity International was founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976. Habitat grew out of the Fuller's work at Koinonia Farms working and living with Clarence Jordan, a radical southern preacher. Since then, we have expanded to over 1900 affiliates in the United States, while over 100,000 families worldwide are living in Habitat homes. Overall, Habitat International has worked in more than 82 foreign countries.

Habitat Facts

Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit, financed with affordable, no-interest loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.

Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours in their own labor, "sweat equity," into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.

Throughout the world, the cost of houses varies from as little as $800 in some developing countries to an average of $46,000 in the United States.

Habitat houses are affordable for low-income families because there is no profit included in the sale price and no interest charged on the mortgage. Mortgage length varies from seven to 30 years.