What is Habitat for Humanity?

ABSOLUTELY AND TOTALLY COOL!!!

Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to eliminate poverty housing from the earth. Habitat works towards this goal by providing permanent solutions to the housing crises of low-income families. Habitat builds simple, decent homes for low prices by utilizing volunteer labor and donated materials. Families are selected before the home's construction on the basis of their need and their ability to fulfill their part of the partnership. These families must make a down payment on their house in the form of 500 hours of labor on their own home, and pay installments on a no-interest mortgage financed by Habitat. In this way the families work in partnership with Habitat to become full homeowners and escape the cycle of poverty which normally traps these families in unsafe homesand neighborhoods.

What does the UCSB Campus Chapter do?

Local branches called affiliates do the actual building work of Habitat. Campus Chapters are intended to support the building efforts of affiliates by recruiting volunteers, raising community awareness, and raising funds. In this capacity, the UCSB chapter has been very active. In the past we have been key participants in the construction of a home in Santa Maria and worked in Ventura. In 1999 we carried out our Playhouse Project, in which we constructed a children's playhouse for Isla Vista Youth Projects on Storke Plaza during Discovery Days. This project was supported by Home Depot and covered by the News-Press. We continue to send groups of volunteers to work sites at least once a month while preparing for our Collegiate Challenge Trip. Luckily, we have our own campus chapter here at UCSB that gives us the opportunity to help others.

Working on a Habitat house is an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only do you gain practical skills, such as carpentry, surveying, and roof-walking, but you also meet dozens of great people from all over the community and beyond. In addition there's the slim chance that you'll meet your soul mate on a worksite (I know of at least 2 marraiges that arose out of people who met while working on habitat houses) Most of all, you get to see the tears of happiness flowing down the faces of those who will eventually own the houses that you help build. For many it is a dream come true after living many years in cold, drafty garages and cramped single-room apartments. The hand-up they get from Habitat allows them to become permanent home-owners and keep the dignity they might lose from a hand-OUT. Habitat for Humanity has shown that even in hard times anyone with minimal financial means, a supportive community, loads of volunteers, and a little sweat can live out the American Dream.