Habitat for Humanity International, also abbreviated as HFHI, is a nonprofit Christian organization that joins with future and current homeowners to build simple, decent, and affordable housing for low-income families. This organization seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to provide people with adequate places to live. HFHI invites people of all backgrounds, races, and religions to build houses together in partnership for those families in need.
The concept that grew into Habitat for Humanity International was originated at Koinonia Farm, a small, interracial Christian farming community founded in 1942 outside of Georgia by farmer and biblical scholar Clarence Jordan. He brought the idea to Millard Fuller, the founder and president of HFHI, and together they developed the concept of “partnership housing”, in which families would work with volunteers to build decent and affordable houses for those in need.
Financially, Millard Fuller had an extremely successful life in Alabama. By his late 20s, things started going down hill and his health began to fade which caused him to re-evaluate his life and make significant changes. Fuller, a devout Christian, decided to recommit his life to serving God. Millard and his wife, Linda, decided to sell their possessions, give their money away, and find a new purpose for life. When they approached Koinonia Farm, they knew this was a way for them to make a difference in the world as Christians.
In 1968, Koinonia laid out 42 half-acre house sites with four acres served as a community park and recreational area. Capital was donated from around the country to start the work. Homes were built and sold to families in need with no profit and no interest. In 1973, Habitat for Humanity went worldwide when Fuller moved his family to Africa to test the project outside of the United States. It was very successful and Habitat for Humanity International was developed in 1976. Ever since, HFHI has built houses for over 125,000 families in more than 3,000 cities and 82 countries.
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