Habitat for Humanity
Date Added: 2009Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need.
Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1.5 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter. HFHI was founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller along with his wife, Linda.
How does it work?
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 and financed with affordable 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 of their own labor-sweat equity-into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.
What does a Habitat house cost?
Throughout the world, the cost of houses varies from as little as $800 in some developing countries to an average of nearly $60,000 in the United States.
Habitat houses are affordable for low-income families because there is no profit included in the sale price. Mortgage length varies from seven to 30 years.
Bradley/Polk:
"Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, Inc. a non-profit organization, seeks to give witness to the Christian gospel by working in partnership with people in need to create a decent environment in which to live and work. The aim is to create an environment of hope, dignity and a truly human existence for all people."
HFH of Cleveland:
PO Box 303
Cleveland, TN 37364-0303
Phone: (423) 476-6947
Fax: (423) 476-3916
McMinn:
HFH of McMinn County
P.O. Box 1556
Athens, TN 37371-1556
Phone: (423) 829-5263
Monroe:
Monroe County HFH
P.O. Box 492
Madisonville, TN 37354-0492
Phone: (423) 442-8886
Fax: (423) 442-4532
