It’s no secret times are tough right now for those simply looking for a roof over their head; costs are skyrocketing for renters and home buyers alike. That’s where our partner Habitat for Humanity of Central Arizona, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving those in need of affordable housing, comes in to address this matter. When you purchase a bag of our Give Back Blend, you can help us in supporting them and their mission.
The idea for Habitat for Humanity International sprouted in Georgia in the 70s, where founders Jordan, Millard, and Linda Fuller conceptualized “partnership housing”, which focused on volunteers and those in need of housing working together to create affordable accommodations. Today, Habitat works nationwide and in 70+ countries. With their help, 39 million people and counting have access to a safe and secure living situation. We think that’s pretty damn great.
“Inspired by the work of Habitat for Humanity International, this local affiliate [in Arizona] was chartered in 1985 as Habitat for Humanity, Valley of the Sun,” said Director of Marketing & Media Dusty Parsons. “The first home was dedicated in 1988. Our focus was to serve those who might not qualify for a traditional home loan.”
For persons interested in Habitat’s New Home program, it’s important to understand what they’re looking for in an applicant:
1. A need for affordable housing
2. The ability to pay back an affordable mortgage
3. A willingness to partner and work with them
“What most people don’t know is that Habitat does NOT give away their homes. The new homeowner will pay an interest-free mortgage not to exceed more than 30% of their income,” Parsons said.
Specific information about qualifying for a Habitat home can be found here.
“Recently, Habitat completed work on their first 3D-printed house in Tempe, Arizona – near the first Cartel Coffee, actually,” Parsons said. “Habitat, with support from generous community partners, hopes this kind of innovation and forward-looking technology can help address the acute shortage of homes in Arizona and across the country.”
For many years, the community at Habitat for Humanity measured its success based on the number of houses built. More recently, they’ve taken into consideration the number of families assisted by the home repair service offering they’ve implemented.
“Habitat Central Arizona continues to build about 25-30 new homes every year, but repairs hundreds more,” Parsons said. “This allows even more homeowners, including seniors and veterans, to remain safely in their homes at a reasonable price.”
Habitat for Humanity has thousands of volunteers each year – but they could always use more hands! The more, the merrier, friends.
“A large volunteer workforce really helps keep costs down and more importantly, allows people to invest in their own community – really making a long-lasting impact and feeling great while doing so,” Parsons said. “And the less experience the better! If you would like to bring out your crew to volunteer, visit https://habitatcaz.org/volunteer/.”
