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Episcopal Habitat for Humanity Project
Episcopal Habitat Project History
Page Updated 09/28/10
A Brief Introduction to Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is an international organization dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide. Founded in Georgia in 1976 on the proposition that all families have a right to live in decent affordable housing, Habitat has built over 100,000 homes around the world. Though it is a straightforwardly Christian organization, it has attracted and welcomed people of all faiths to its program.
It works very simply. Sponsors invest the money needed to provide the materials and professional requirements for the building of a house. The sponsors also seek to provide volunteers to assist the family in building the house. The sponsored family commits 450 hours of sweat equity to the build and, when they move in, take on a no profit, no interest mortgage payable to Habitat for Humanity. Habitat uses the mortgage income to sponsor more houses.
The Episcopal Habitat for Humanity Project
Habitat for Humanity - Saint Louis was founded in 1986. The Episcopal Habitat for Humanity Project (EHFHP) was formed in 1998 when thirteen Episcopal Churches in the Diocese of Missouri joined together to sponsor construction of a home. From 2001 through 2008, we partnered with Citi and Travelers Property Casualty Corporation in home sponsorship. For 2009, EHFHP was a partial sponsor and we worked four workdays as a group.
In 2010, EHFHP became a ministry of the entire Diocese of Missouri, once again working on four workdays, with the goal of becoming a full house sponsor in 2011.