About Us

Our Mission
Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks of life, to develop communities with people in need by building and renovating houses so that there are decent houses in decent communities in which every person can experience God's love and can live and grow into all that God intends.

Habitat for Humanity is a grassroots Christian nonprofit organization dedicated to the elimination of poverty and substandard housing worldwide. We believe 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.

What we do:

Build or renovate homes in partnership with volunteers and local families who qualify for homeownership based on three criteria: need for shelter, a willingness to partner with Habitat and an ability to pay monthly no-interest mortgage payments.

Work with people of all faiths or no faith.

Provide an opportunity for responsible homeownership through selling our homes with no interest charged.

Abide by all fair housing laws and practices outlined by U.S. law.

What we don't do:

Give homes away or offer opportunities for a free house.

Charge interest on mortgages.

Discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation or sources of income.

Mission Principles

Demonstrate the love and teachings of Jesus Christ.

Advocate on behalf of those in need of decent shelter.

Focus on shelter by building and renovating simple, decent and affordable houses.

Engage broad community through inclusive leadership and diverse partnerships.

Promote dignity through full partnership with Habitat homeowners and future home partners.

Promote transformational and sustainable community development.

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 has built more than 300,000 homes for more than 1 million people around the world.

Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County was founded in 1986 and currently builds about 10 homes per year. We have built more than 100 homes in partnership with local hard-working, low-income families. Our affiliate serves St. Joseph County and builds predominantly in South Bend and Mishawaka.

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 Homeownership with Habitat 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, grassroots 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. Donations given to our affiliate are used for homes in St. Joseph County.