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Juanita Zeramby

Mrs. Peters

Senior Exit Project

17 October 2016

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity International partners with various local organizations.

Created by Linda and Millard Fuller in 1976, it was meant to be a way to reduce poverty
housing in America. While the original Habitat for Humanity was Christian, the
organization has grown in its acceptance of all faiths. Companies send people to volunteer
at Habitat so that they are involved with their community. This is important since it raises
awareness about the needs of society and helps people understand the reality of the world
around them. In terms of homebuilders in America, Habitat is the 6th largest in the nation.
Habitat for Humanity Tucson has built more than four hundred houses in thirty-six years.
After Hurricane Katrina, Habitat for Humanity was the first organization to raise walls in
the rebuilding process (Briefcase). All of these events could not have occured if it wasnt
for volunteer efforts and donations. Both allow Habitat to keep the costs of building the

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houses down, as only a few parts of the construction process, such as drywall and stucco,
need to be applied by professionals. Additionally, future homeowners must work on the
site, the result being that they meet their neighbors and become friends. Therefore, not only
does Habitat build homes, it builds communities.

Since Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization, all the house payments are
used to build more houses. Also, the revenue from the Habitat Restore is used to buy more
construction materials, such as roof tiles and paint. The Habitat Restore is a store open to
the public, where people can buy things like doors, paint, and ovens (States News
Service). When items are donated, they are priced and put out onto the floor. Many people
find items available one day are gone the next. Additionally, people renovating their homes
often donate appliances and extra materials. Manufacturers that supply Home Depot and
Lowes donate certain items to the Habitat Restores as well. Companies such as Whirlpool,
which donates refrigerators for each Habitat house, (States News Service) are necessary in
the completion of the houses, as they make the homes feel complete. Thus, with the
community coming together to contribute to the Habitat houses, structures become more
than just housesthey become homes.

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In terms of socioeconomics, the people who apply for Habitat houses include poor,
working class families. In order to qualify, the income for these applicants must fall in
between certain guidelines, based on national standards and the amount of people who are
in the family. Other requirements are that they could not own[] a house before, nor could
they have been bankrupt in the past three years (Brooke 135). In addition, they must be
willing to partner with Habitat and have a good Habitude, as the staff calls it. A
committee checks the living situation of everyone who applies and chooses those who fit
the proper categories. Habitat houses are usually 1,300 square feet, three bedrooms, 1
bath, but 1,500 square feet, four bedroom houses can be made to accommodate bigger
families (Hard and Hernandez). Every adult who will be living in the house needs to
complete 250 hours of sweat equity, seventy-five percent of which needs to be completed
on the construction site. These hours are what are really helping the future homeowners,
since building the house shows them what to do in case the house sustains damage. Since
many of these homeowners may not be able to afford the rate contractors request, this not
only allows them to make their own house repairs, but to feel good about themselves after
making the repairs rather than hiring someone else to fix them. Consequently, the

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applicants who turn into homeowners are not only able to pay for a home, but they also
learn how to maintain one as well.

Economic need is one of the reasons why a family might apply for a Habitat house.
People in this situation are unable to buy houses with the regular mortgage interest rates.
Habitat has a no-interest loan policy which allows homebuyers to pay the amount the house
is worth rather than double or triple the amount due to interest. This is important for
keeping the houses affordable, since the people who need them cannot usually pay for a
regular home loan. In Tucson especially, poverty housing is a problem, since the rate of
homeownership is forty-nine percent, which is well below the national average of sixtyfour percent (Hard and Hernandez). Furthermore, fifty thousand homes in Pima County
are in need of repair, and many of these houses are occupied by low income families
(Franklin). According to Habitat, Tucson is the fifth poorest city in the United States.
Habitat for Humanity Tucson is the first Habitat affiliate that was created west of the
Mississippi. Since all of the houses are built with volunteer labor, the cost of the houses is
lowered significantly, and people with low income are still able to afford houses.

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Since future homeowners are part of the effort in the construction of their homes,
they become involved in their community. Future homeowners receive mentors who attend
the nine mandatory homeowners classes with them. Frequently, the Habitat homeowners
become friends with their mentors, inviting them to their childrens birthday parties or to
their weddings (Hard and Hernandez). This is only part of how Habitat brings the
community together. Many future homeowners meet the people on their street and develop
camaraderie with them. When holidays come up, such as Independence Day or New Years
Eve, Habitat communities have block parties. Not only are all the people in the Habitat
houses in that area invited, but so are their non-Habitat neighbors. Consequently, Habitat
builds a way for people to make friends with others in their community.

In addition to building ties within the community, location is an important part of

Habitat for Humanity. While many think of location as a vital factor with where a person
works, the locations of their homes must also be considered. With Habitat houses, the
location is where land is available for private housing. This is important since the houses
are for people to own, not rent. Studies have shown that people who own houses rather
than rent apartments are happier in life (Suen 50). Since many applicants live in

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apartments, this is a positive change for them. Habitat sometimes buys land where houses
were started, but not completed. In these cases, Habitat finishes the started houses, and they
are built to Habitat standards in regards to energy efficiency. Habitat families are then
placed in these houses. Habitat uses the rest of the land to build additional houses. Thus,
location plays an important role in where the Habitat houses are built.

Through the creation of these houses, the future homeowners meet each other,
creating a strong community. Strong communities tend to keep crime out (Fuller and
Scott 78), and since some people apply for Habitat houses due to unsafe neighborhoods in
addition to economic need, their fears can be set aside. This allows people to enjoy their
new homes. However, sometimes the location of Habitat houses is inconvenient. The
applicants are unable to choose where their houses are built, so it may be on the other side
of the city from where they work. Nevertheless, since they are able to own a home at a safe
address, it becomes entirely possible that they would change jobs to a location nearer to
their home (Hatvany 38). The indicated quotation shows another part of Habitats mission
to be a hand up rather than a hand out. While having a Habitat house is a plus, its location
may prove challenging.

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Volunteers make the mission of Habitat for Humanity possible. They are the labor
behind the houses, resulting in lowering building costs. With their help, the amount that
homeowners have to pay for their houses is less. In Tucson, over five-thousand volunteers
collectively contribute more than fifty-thousand hours annually (Franklin). This shows
how involved in their community the people of Tucson are. Many companies send groups
to the construction site for a day of volunteering each year, which brings more people into
the mix of those building houses. These volunteers create houses which possess
uniqueness, since they are built by people the homeowners may have met while completing
their hours on the construction site, some who will become their future neighbors. While
some volunteers may come back regularly, the majority of them come for a day with their
company. Therefore, with volunteer labor, the experience is different every day.

Habitat for Humanity offers many programs with the help of volunteer labor. A
Brush of Kindness is one of these. This program goes to houses that need fresh coats of
paint and to parks that need to be cleaned up and takes care of them. These projects
typically encourage neighbors to repaint their own houses and nearby houses to the parks to
clean up their yards. Critical Home Repair is another Habitat program where volunteers

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help families whose houses are in need of repair. The owners are unable to fix their homes
on their own and cannot afford to hire professionals. In addition to A Brush of Kindness
and Critical Home Repair, the program called Age in Places helps veterans who cannot fix
certain problems in their houses themselves. Volunteers build walkways around swimming
pools or fix roofs for these veterans who need help (Franklin). Together, these programs
connect people and help homeowners feel happier in their houses.

One day that is celebrated in all the countries where Habitat is located is World
Habitat Day. On the first Monday of October, all the Habitat affiliates have volunteers sign
up and go to their current construction site where they all work on the houses. [S]ome
complete wall raising while others paint the interiors of the houses (Fuller 90). Something
stressed by the crew leaders is that it is not a race to see which team can erect the most
walls or which team can paint the most walls, but rather that it is to have the project done
correctly. Companies send employees to the construction site in order to have them become
involved in their communities. Since it is celebrated worldwide, other countries CEOs
send messages to other affiliates around the world, thanking them for their help to stop the
global housing problem. Many people work alongside those they never have met before

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since World Habitat Day is such a big project. Through World Habitat Day, people
experience the feeling of participating in a project while others do the same all around the
world.

In addition to World Habitat Day, Habitat has the Blitz Build. This year in Tucson,
four houses will be completed in eight days. This is a much shorter time period than the
usual nine months, and the houses will be completed by volunteer labor. The reason the
Blitz Build occurs is to help Habitat Tucson homeowners achieve the strength, stability
and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families (Blitz
Build). Since the time allotted to the project is short, many shifts will take place each day.
As a result of the changing crews, each house will have a different story behind it that
everyone involved will remember. Habitat wants this for its houses, as it adds charm to the
volunteer efforts. Therefore, the Blitz Build will do more than simply build houses, it will
build memories in the community.

Through all the programs Habitat has, many countries have helped others in regards
to money and labor. Money raised by one affiliate will often be used to start another one.
Due to this chain of events, many affiliates have helped countries in need of safer and more

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affordable housing. Habitat affiliates who have raised more than one million dollars are
given awards, as they have helped another place which did not have the resources
necessary to sustain it. In countries where volunteer labor is not always available,
volunteers will group together and help build houses. Some presidents, such as Jimmy
Carter and Barack Obama, have also volunteered at Habitat (Franklin), showing the
American population that it does not matter what the social status of the volunteer is.
College students have chosen to volunteer at Habitat for their required hours. The working
environment is enjoyable, and Habitat exists in many states and countries. Consequently,
many people have helped others through Habitat for Humanity.

Various groups, such as Women Build and Rainbow Build, reflect how Habitat
makes it a priority to include everyone. Women Build consists of mostly female volunteers
working on the house, and the house is constructed for either a single mother or a single
woman. The idea behind Women Build is to display the ability women have to provide for
themselves as well as to help them secure safe and affordable housing for their families.
Nearly every year, volunteers participate through Women Build, while the Rainbow Build
program does not happen every year, although the people involved have recently petitioned

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for it to do so. Rainbow Build was first hosted in Tucson in 2005, its goal to support the
LGBT community. Since the Rainbow Build program began, it has expanded and will occur
for a third time in Tucson in 2017. People who want to support Rainbow Build do not have
to be on the construction site to do so, as they can hold fundraiser parties to support
Rainbow Build. With these projects, Habitat broadens not only its vision, but also the
vision of the volunteers.

Due to the housing crisis in America in the 1970s, the Fullers decided to create
Habitat for Humanity. This organization is non-profit and helps families who cannot afford
houses that are safe. Since applicants must qualify for a Habitat house, only certain
individuals receive them. When applicants are approved, they must complete hours at the
construction site, working on their and their neighbors homes. While the homeowners may
not be able to choose where in the city their houses will be, they do own a house, which
can often take away the feeling of sacrifice while driving long distances to work.
Additionally, the friendships the future homeowners create with others while working on
the construction site demonstrate that Habitat builds more than just houses. Many Habitat
communities hold holiday parties together, creating closely knit communities. Volunteer

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labor builds the houses, lowering costs since no professional construction workers are paid.
Volunteers complete many of the projects, including Critical Home repair and A Brush of
Kindness. Also, the Blitz Build is an eight-day build where four houses are completed.
Programs like Women Build and Rainbow Build show how Habitat supports people who
have diverse backgrounds. Therefore, Habitat for Humanity is an organization that not only
helps fix the global housing crisis but also helps communities come together.

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Works Cited
Anchor Wave Internet Solutions | Www.anchorwave.com. "Blitz Build - Habitat for
Humanity Tucson." Habitat for Humanity Tucson. Habitat for Humanity Tucson,
2016. Web. 22 Sept. 2016.
Brooke, Kathleen Rebecca. Habitat for Humanity: Building Homes, Building Lives. N.p.:
n.p., 1991. Print.
Franklin, Cynthia. "New Volunteer Orientation." New Volunteer Orientation. Habitat for
Humanity Office, Tucson. 20 Aug. 2016. Speech.
Fuller, Millard, and Diane Scott. No More Shacks!: The Daring Vision of Habitat for
Humanity. N.p.: Word, 1986. Print.
Fuller, Millard. More than Houses: How Habitat for Humanity Is Transforming Lives and
Neighborhoods. Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 2000. Print.
"Habitat for Humanity Partners with Faith Organizations." [Springfield, MA] 13 June 2016,
Briefcase sec.: 56. Pima County Library. EBSCOhost. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.
Hard, Bill, and LuzMaria Hernandez. "Homeowners Information Services." Homeowners
Information Services. Habitat for Humaity Offices, Tucson. 01 Sept. 2016. Speech.
Hatvany, Amy. Somewhere out There: A Novel. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Suen, Anastasia. Habitat for Humanity. New York: PowerKids, 2002. Print.
"Whirlpool Corporation and Habitat for Humanity Renew 2016 Partnership." States News
Service. N.p., 13 June 2016. Web. 24 Sept. 2016.