Habitat for Humanity is among the most widely known charities in the world and has been widely recognized for its work in alleviating the cycle of poverty, but there are still a number of misconceptions about what exactly the organization does.
Here are a few points to set the record straight:
We don’t give homes away for free
Each family that partners with Habitat pays for their home with an interest-free mortgage priced at Fair Market Value. They must also work at least 500 hours of “sweat equity” – contributing time to the build, the ReStore and other Habitat projects. Our homes are decent and affordable, which allows our partner families to have cost certainty and budget flexibility. This lets families spend less on housing and more on building towards a successful future.
Jimmy Carter is not the founder of Habitat
Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, who left an affluent life in Alabama and dedicated themselves to a life of helping others. The Fullers developed the concept of “partnership housing”. This concept laid the foundation for thousands of non-profit home builds around the world, including over 2,000 in Canada. Former US President Jimmy Carter began working with Habitat in 1984, increasing its visibility, and has been a strong supporter of the organization ever since.
Halton and Peel do have people in need
A report to the Halton Planning and Development Committee in June 2011 showed that one in three residents of Peel Region have difficulty affording their homes (i.e. spending 30 per cent of their income or more on housing or rent). One in eight residents spend more than half of their income on housing, while one in fourteen spend 70 per cent or more. Situations like these put individuals and families in extreme financial and emotional stress, leaving them with less left over for food, transportation, savings and other expenses. Habitat Halton-Mississauga works to help these people break out of low-income cycles and ensure that Halton and Peel are prosperous communities for all their residents.
About Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga
Habitat Halton-Mississauga is a local, non-profit organization that promotes pathways to safe and affordable homeownership to alleviate the cycle of poverty. To learn more about what we do, how to register for our programs and how to get involved, please contact 905-637-4446 or visit www.habitathm.ca
Our organization is able to function because of the strong support we receive from our partners in the community. Whether they are local businesses, people in government, other non-profits, or just engaged citizens, our Habitat family works together to help everyone have a safe and decent place to live. Every person has the ability to make our community a better place to live. If you want to help make a difference, click the link to learn all the different ways you can give.