You may have heard of Habitat for Humanity, but are you aware of what they do? Habitat for Humanity is an organization that builds homes for families in need. Through volunteer workers, donated materials and money, and non-profit loans, Habitat for Humanity is able to provide affordable, quality homes to low-income families. This organization is helping people all over the world.
Habitat homes are modest-size homes. They are built in a way that the home is large enough for the home owner’s needs but small enough to keep costs down. The designs reflect local climates and culture and are built with quality, locally found materials. The goal of Habitat for Humanity is to provide safe, quality homes for families that may otherwise be living in unsafe conditions or may not even have a home. As of today, Habitat for Humanity has helped over two million people around the world have a home to live in.
The main way that costs are kept down is through the help of volunteers and “partner families” as well as monetary donations. A partner family is the family who will be living in the home. They are required to do their part in building their new home. These homes are not given away. The owners must still pay a down payment and have monthly mortgage payments to make in addition to putting in hundreds of hours on building their home as well as helping build other’s homes as well. When a family is in need, they apply to their local Habitat for Humanity organization. Families are then chosen based on need, their willingness to participate in the program, and their ability to pay back the loan.