History of HabitatSince its founding in 1976 by
Millard and
Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity
International has built and rehabilitated more than 220,000 houses
with families in need, becoming a true world leader in addressing
the issues of poverty housing.
Koinonia
Farm and the Fund for Humanity
The concept that grew into Habitat for
Humanity International was born at
Koinonia
Farm, a small, interracial, Christian farming community founded
in 1942 outside of Americus, Ga., by farmer and biblical scholar
Clarence Jordan. The Fullers first visited Koinonia in 1965, having
recently left a successful business in Montgomery, Ala., and all
the trappings of an affluent lifestyle to begin a new life of
Christian service. At Koinonia, Jordan and Fuller developed the
concept of "partnership housing" -- where those in need of adequate
shelter would work side by side with volunteers to build simple,
decent houses.
The houses would be built with no profit added and no
interest charged. Building would be financed by a revolving Fund
for Humanity. The fund's money would come from the new homeowners'
house payments, donations and no-interest loans provided by
supporters and money earned by fund-raising activities. The monies
in the Fund for Humanity would be used to build more houses.
An open letter to the friends of Koinonia
Farm told of the new future for Koinonia:
What the poor need is not charity but
capital, not caseworkers but co-workers. And what the rich need is
a wise, honorable and just way of divesting themselves of their
overabundance. The Fund for Humanity will meet both of these needs.
Money for the fund will come from shared gifts by those who feel
they have more than they need and from non-interest bearing loans
from those who cannot afford to make a gift but who do want to
provide working capital for the disinherited. . . The fund will
give away no money. It is not a handout.
In 1968, Koinonia laid out 42 half-acre house sites with
four acres reserved as a community park and recreational area.
Capital was donated from around the country to start the work.
Homes were built and sold to families in need at no profit and no
interest. The basic model of Habitat for Humanity was begun.
Zaire
In 1973, the Fullers decided to apply the
Fund for Humanity concept in developing countries. The Fuller
family moved to Mbandaka, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of
Congo). The Fullers' goal was to offer affordable yet adequate
shelter to 2,000 people. After three years of hard work to launch a
successful house building program, the Fullers returned to the
United States.
Habitat for Humanity International
In September 1976, Millard and Linda called
together a group of supporters to discuss the future of their
dream. Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) as an organization
was born at this meeting. The eight years that followed, vividly
described in Millard Fuller's book,
Love in the Mortar Joints, proved that the vision of a
housing ministry was workable. Faith, hard work and direction set
HFHI on its successful course.
Phenomenal Growth
In 1984, former U.S. President
Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn took their
first Habitat work trip, the
Jimmy
and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, to New York City. Their
personal involvement in Habitat's ministry brought the organization
national visibility and sparked interest in Habitat's work across
the nation. HFHI experienced a dramatic increase in the number of
new affiliates around the country.
The Results
Through the work of Habitat, thousands of
low-income families have found new hope in the form of affordable
housing. Churches, community groups and others have joined together
to successfully tackle a significant social problem -- decent
housing for all.
Today, Habitat for Humanity has built more
than 300,000 houses, sheltering more than 1,500,000 people in more
than 3,000 communities worldwide. |
