About Habitat for Humanity, International
Illinois State University Habitat for Humanity is part of an international
social movement which has built over 350,000 houses, housing 1.75 million
people, in nearly 90 countries since 1976. Locally, Habitat for Humanity has
built 116 houses in McLean County, Illinois. The goal of all Habitat for
Humanity campus chapters and affiliates is to eradicate substandard housing
in both their communities and around the world. Our mission involves acting
locally while thinking globally to make simple, decent housing a matter a
conscience and action.
With
the world experiencing a global housing crisis, the work of Habitat for
Humanity is more important than ever. According to the United Nations, about
1.6 billion people live in substandard housing and 100 million are homeless.
In the United States, more than 95 million people- one third of the nation-
are dealing with housing problems. Throughout the world, people are living
in, and dealing with, inadequate shelter and Habitat for Humanity is
dedicated to providing decent, affordable homes for those in need.
Through
volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat for Humanity
builds and/or rehabilitates simple, decent houses alongside partner
(homeowner) families. Habitat for Humanity provides a hand-up, not a
hand-out. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments,
homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor into building their
own Habitat house and the houses of other partner families. Habitat for
Humanity houses are sold to partner families at no profit, and financed with
affordable, no-interest loans. Because Habitat pays for houses as they are
built, and consequently does not carry debt on them, homeowner’s monthly
mortgage payments can be recycled and used to build additional Habitat
houses.
Since
1976, Habitat for Humanity has shown that building homes does much more than
put a roof over someone’s head. In stable Habitat homes, a family’s sense of
pride and dignity grows, children feel a better sense of stability, health
and physical safety improve and educational and job prospects increase.
Adequate housing is vitally important to the health of communities and
people, and if action to decrease poverty is to be successful, increasing
the housing supply around the world is essential.
You can
learn more about Habitat for Humanity, International by visiting their
website.