Week 24 - Habitat for Humanity

This week was a very busy one at the theater, so we decided to give to a good cause this week.  The cause we chose is one we have been familiar with for a long time - Habitat for Humanity.

I think this is a pretty well known group, but in case you are not familiar, Habitat for Humanity is an  organization whose mission is to provide housing for everyone who needs it.  They operate around the world and in the US, with nine affiliate offices in the Chicago area.  As with many of the large non profits we have worked with, HFH has refined its process over time so that the most possible work can be done with the resources that come their way.  They have a great website, and so I will let them describe the process used to give someone a new home:

"What is Habitat for Humanity International?

• A nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that has helped to build over 500,000 decent, affordable houses and served 2.5 million people worldwide.
• Our vision: a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
• Founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller and his wife, Linda.

	Habitat volunteers and homeowners build side-by-side in New Orleans, Louisiana

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.
• In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor 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."

When Jen and I go out into the world to volunteer, we see two huge needs - food and shelter.  If you look back on our posts, you will see that almost all of the work we have done is related in some way to getting food to those that don't have enough.  This group is fighting the other half of the battle, and they are one of a small number of groups that are.  Obviously food is a more urgent need, and much easier to fulfill, and I am  glad that so many groups are handing out food, but as happy as I am, I wish that more groups were thinking about and working on the problem of providing affordable housing.  There are lots of reasons not to - people don't want low cost housing near them, local governments don't have resources or inclination to help, and private investors want a return on their investment.  In spite of all of those things and all of the other challenges, Habitat for Humanity is still trying to solve the problem.  I think they are doing heroic work, and I hope that they can continue to expand their operations.

You can see a quick slide show introduction to their work HERE.

If you would like more information, visit Habitat for Humanity.