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What is Habitat for Humanity International? Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people from all walks of life to work together in partnership to help build houses with families in need. Habitat has built over 135,000 homes around the world, providing over 678,000 people with safe, decent, affordable shelter. What does a Habitat house cost? It currently costs about $60,000 to rehabilitate one Habitat house in Burlington County. These houses are typically "gutted" and completed rehabilitated: new roof, floors, walls, major mechanical systems, appliances, etc. According to the Affordable Housing Network of New Jersey, building or rehabilitating affordable housing boosts the economy by creating new jobs, helping businesses to relocate to or stay in New Jersey, generating tax ratables and preserving neighborhoods. They state that decent affordable housing stabilizes families and reduces state expenditures for emergency shelter, health care, education, criminal justice, and other programs. Habitat Burlington County is able to build our houses at a lower cost because we use volunteers, donated and recycled materials and keep our operating costs to the bare bones. How are the partner families selected? Families apply to local Habitat affiliates. A Family Selection Committee chooses homeowners based on need, their willingness to become partners in the program and their ability to repay a mortgage. Every affiliate follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the families that receive Habitat houses. How can I become a volunteer? Volunteer information is available on this website and can be obtained from the HFHBC office at 856-303-8080. How else can I help? Get involved! Pray for the work of Habitat for Humanity. Contribute financially to HFHBC, and/or participate in our fundraising events. We need people to help build, to serve on committees and to spread the word about Habitat. We invite you to join in the exciting partnership of building houses with God's people in need. I'm giving my time, why do they want my money too? Each year over 2000 volunteers work with Habitat for Humanity of Burlington County helping us build decent, affordable houses in partnership with the families that will live in them. And we value each and every one or them, even if the volunteer has never held a hammer or a screwdriver. Volunteer labor is one very important way that we keep the cost of our houses to an absolute minimum. Without volunteers, we cannot get the job done. But volunteer labor is only one resource needed to keep the momentum of Habitat growing. It also takes money. Without money to buy materials and cover other costs, construction stops.
Copyright 2007 - Habitat for Humanity, Burlington County, NJ
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