My
faith demands I do whatever I can,
wherever I am, whenever I can,
for as long as I can
with whatever I have to try to make a difference”
– Former President Jimmy Carter
As a regular Habitat volunteer, I've made it my mission to dispell some of the myths of Habitat. Here are just a few:
We give our houses away to the homeless - FALSEHabitat homeowners are hardworking families who purchase their homes from Habitat through interest-free loans. That mortgage money goes back to build more houses; Habitat does not profit. Volunteer labor keeps the home affordable. Additionally, families must put in hundreds of hours of "sweat equity" (working on their home and others) before they can move into their home.
You have to be Christian - FALSE
Habitat homeowners are chosen without regard to race, religion or ethnic group, in keeping with Habitat’s abiding belief that God’s love extends to everyone. Habitat also welcomes volunteers from all faiths, or no faith, who actively embrace Habitat’s goal of eliminating poverty housing from the world (ie, the Theology of the Hammer).
Jimmy Carter started Habita
t - FALSEHabitat for Humanity was founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976. From that small start in Americus, Georgia, there are now Habitat affiliates in all 50 states and over 70 countries. Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter are two of the more prominent volunteers and have led a one-week build somewhere in the world for the past 34 years; typically alternating yearly between the U.S. and international sites.