Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), Christian ministry that builds and renovates housing for families in need. HFHI was founded in 1976 by American philanthropist Millard Dean Fuller and his wife, Linda Fuller. The group gained wide recognition because of the involvement of former president Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, who in 1984 launched the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, an annual weeklong building project for HFHI that draws volunteers from across the globe. In its first three decades, the organization built more than 350,000 houses for more than 1.75 million people. The group is active in some 90 countries and in all 50 U.S. states, Guam, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. HFHI maintains operational headquarters in Americus, Georgia, where it was founded, and administrative headquarters in Atlanta.

(Read Britannica’s interview with Jimmy Carter.)

HFHI operates in partnership with the homeowners it helps. The group uses donated money, material, and labour to build modestly sized houses, which it then sells at reduced prices to people in need. Recipients of an HFHI home are chosen on the basis of their need and their ability to make monthly mortgage payments. The homes are sold at no profit, and the monthly payments are used to build additional houses. HFHI homeowners must stay current with their mortgages to keep their homes.

HFHI is governed by a board of directors that sets policy for the whole organization. Local affiliates are managed by a local volunteer board, but each affiliate is expected to adhere to the group’s national mission. HFHI is funded primarily by private donations. It also accepts government funding to assist with building, infrastructure, training, and utilities.