A Force for Good in Vermont and the world community.
Providing Affordable Home Ownership for Vermonters for over 20 years
 Habitat for Humanity gives a hand up, not a hand out,· to hard-working families willing to help build their own simple, decent, and affordable homes.·
Leveraging community volunteers to build, and providing zero interest, zero profit mortgages lets Habitat homeowners enjoy the most affordable ownership homes in the state.
Why Homeownership Matters
The National Association of Realtors published a booklet that underlined the value of homeownership which expresses very well, why we do what we do.· Some key points they cited included:
Being a home owner is more than just having a roof over your head. Home ownership instills feelings of comfort, security, stability and pride.
However, in addition to these important benefits are substantial
social benefits for families, communities and the country as a whole. A few ofthese benefits are:
1. Higher Academic Achievement
2. More Cohesive Communities
3. Better Connected Families
4. Improved Health & Safety
5. Stronger Economy
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Building Affordable Homes
Currently, 12 locally based Habitat for Humanity Affiliates and Chapters operate in Vermont.· Together they have built more than 141 affordable houses, home to more than 400 family members.· Over the years, Habitat affiliates have received grants from the Vermont Housing and Conservation board for 83 of those homes.· These grants have ranged from $17,500 to $27,000 and they provide powerful leverage.· For a modest investment, state funds mobilize over 3,000 hours of volunteer time and up to an additional $125,000 from the community for each Habitat home built.·
Engaging our local Communities
While operating under the sanction and guidance of Habitat for Humanity International®, each affiliate is governed by a Board of Directors of volunteers from their local communities.· All funds spent on building a Vermont Habitat home are raised from the local community.· Habitat's success depends upon broad-based support from the community.
In a typical year:
- Over 100 community leaders will serve on Affiliate’s Boards of Directors.
- Over 2,500 Vermont residents will volunteer their time to work on building a Habitat home.
An additional 300 people will volunteer to do other functions of Habitat, such as Family Selection, Family Support, or communications.
Our newsletters are sent to over 20,000 addresses, reaching more than 75,000 people.
Each spring we begin construction of 5 – 10 new homes for hard-working families in need.
Our homeowners will pay over ¼ million dollars in property taxes.
Participating in the Worldwide Community
Aided by Habitat International, Vermont affiliates, through voluntary tithing, have tithed $420,694 ($34,990 in FY 2011) and have teamed with affiliates of other countries to help 149 families worldwide to live in safe, decent, and affordable homes..
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