Habitat's Mission

• a grassroots Christian nonprofit organization dedicated to the elimination of poverty and substandard housing worldwide.
• believes that every person deserves, at least, a simple and decent place in which to live and grow into all that God intends for them to be
• builds or renovates houses in partnership with families who qualify for homeownership based on three criteria:  need, a willingness to partner with HFH and an ability to repay a no-interest mortgage
• works with people of all faiths and people of no faith
• sells its houses at no profit, with no interest charged
• has built and renovated over 200,000 houses worldwide since 1976

Habitat for Humanity International History History
Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people from all faiths and walks of life to work together in partnership, building houses with families in need.

Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West History

How We Do it
Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible 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 recycled into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses.

Family Selection
Whether in the U.S. or overseas, families in need apply to local Habitat affiliates. The affiliate's family selection committee considers applicants' level of need, their willingness to become partners in the Habitat program and their ability to repay the no-interest loan. Every affiliate follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing Habitat homeowner families.

If your family, or a family you know, is in need of decent, affordable housing, please check our Apply for a Home page where you will find information on the availability, size, costs, and sweat equity requirements for Habitat houses in our area, as well as information on the application process.

Habitat and its Affiliates
Habitat is a worldwide, grass-roots movement. There are more than 2,100 active affiliates in 100 countries, including all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico. Use the Habitat for Humanity International affiliate search to find Habitat affiliates in other areas.

Habitat is a grass-roots movement. Concerned citizens from all walks of life come together as volunteers to form a Habitat affiliate in their community. Fundraising, house construction, family selection and other key decisions are carried out by the local affiliates. HFHI headquarters, located in Americus, Ga., provides information, training, support and other services to Habitat affiliates worldwide.

Donations
Donations are used as designated by the donor. Gifts received by us that are designated to a specific building project are forwarded to that project. Any undesignated gifts are used where most needed. Our most recent audited financial statement is available upon request.

Management
Our board of directors determines policy and monitors operations in conjunction with a board of advisors. Board members are dedicated volunteers who are deeply concerned about the problems of poverty housing in our community. We operate with an administrative staff, assisted by a core group of clerical and support employees and supplemented by long-term and short-term volunteers.

Government Support
Habitat does not accept government funds for the construction of new houses or for the renovation or repair of existing houses. Ocassionally, we accept government funds for "stage-setting" infrastructure needs (streets, sewers, etc.) , or for the acquisition of land, so long as the funds have no strings attached that would violate Habitat's principles.