How Habitat Transforms Lives
Habitat for Humanity builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of homeowners (known as "homepartner") families, volunteer labor, and donations of money and materials.Building Homes: Our Core Competency

Habitat houses are sold to homepartner families at no profit. Homepartners repay through affordable, zero-interest, inflation-adjusted mortgage loans. These monthly mortgage payments are pooled into a Fund for Humanity so that the amortization of one house will help build another ("House-for-a-House" principle).

Habitat for Humanity is not a "giveaway" program. In addition to an initial down payment of one-third of the house cost and monthly mortgage repayments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor - "sweat equity" -- into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.

Additional "muscle" for construction comes from volunteers from local affiliates, partner corporations and organizations, universities, schools, and youth groups. Volunteers even come from other countries, from as far away as Europe and the United States.

Working with Others, Achieving More
Habitat for Humanity's work is accomplished through a network of project offices in rural and urban areas, HFHP has built and repaired tens of thousands of homes. HFHP organizes mortgage services, fund-raising and donations of materials, and manpower for constructing houses. Building communities through product alliances.
Building communities through product alliances

Families Chosen on Need
Families in need of a decent shelter may approach any of the Habitat for Humanity local affiliate or local management councils.  Our partner organizations also assist us in selecting homepartners, based on a set of criteria. Foremost among these would be the level of need, the ability to repay the loan, the willingness to work in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, and other qualifications that reflect the principles of Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity observes a non-discriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing families to become Habitat homeowners.