The History of Habitat
The seeds of Habitat for Humanity International, Inc. were planted at Koinonia Farm, a Christian community in Sumter County near Americus, Georgia. In 1968, the late Millard Fuller, a lawyer and businessman, and the late Dr. Clarence Jordan, scholar and farmer, began work aimed at dealing practically with the problems of substandard housing.
The Biblical admonition of Exodus 22:25 provided what was to become the basis of the Habitat ministry:
"If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest."
Koinonia Partnership Housing was established, and the Fund for Humanity became a reality. With a no-profit, no-interest loan program and with the assistance of many volunteer workers, Koinonia Partnership Housing provided a means by which people in need in Sumter County, Georgia could obtain decent housing.
In 1973, Millard Fuller and his family moved to Zaire in central Africa to see if this idea would work in a Third World setting. Koinonia, along with numerous church denominations, organizations, and individuals, contributed to the Mbandaka Fund for Humanity. The Fullers returned to the United States in 1976, and shortly thereafter, Habitat for Humanity was formed. The Board of Directors appointed Millard Fuller as the organization's Executive Director.
Habitat for Humanity has expanded rapidly nationally and internationally in this movement of love in action. People are given a means to be responsible stewards of their resources, actively loving their neighbors as themselves. Most importantly, families in need are moving into comfortable, simple, affordable homes housing.
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Myths & Truths
MYTH: Habitat builds houses only for minorities.
TRUTH:Habitat doesn’t build houses for anyone. We build houses with people in need, without regard to race. Three criteria drive the family-selection process: need; ability to repay the no-profit mortgage during a 15- to 30-year period; and willingness to partner with Habitat. The U.S. Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibits discrimination in the sale of housing on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, handicap, familial status or national origin. The covenant that all local Habitat affiliates sign with Habitat for Humanity International also specifies that Habitat homeowner families are selected “according to criteria that do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed or ethnic background.”
Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity - a proud Equal Opportunity Employer.