About Central Westmoreland Habitat for Humanity
No matter who we are or where we come from, we all deserve to have a decent life. We deserve to feel strength and stability day after day. We deserve to know we have the power to take care of ourselves and build our own futures.
At Habitat for Humanity, this is what unites us. Through shelter, we empower. Our shared vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
Because you, me, we — we’re all humans. And every single one of us deserves the opportunity for a better future.
Our mission
Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.
Our vision
A world where everyone has a decent place to live.
Our principles
- Demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ.
- Focus on shelter.
- Advocate for affordable housing.
- Promote dignity and hope.
- Support sustainable and transformative development.
Who we are
Habitat for Humanity partners with people in your community, and all over the world, to help them build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. With your support, Habitat homeowners achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and for their families. Through our 2020 Strategic Plan, Habitat for Humanity will serve more people than ever before through decent and affordable housing.
Non-proselytizing policy
Habitat for Humanity and its affiliate organizations will not proselytize. Nor will Habitat work with entities or individuals who insist on proselytizing as part of their work with Habitat. This means that Habitat will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must adhere to or convert to a particular faith or listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.
Habitat for Humanity is one of the largest home builders in the United States. It works in 70 countries and has served nearly 7 million people since 1976, but its not distant and faceless. The heart and soul of Habitat is the 1,500 local Affiliates that serve communities across the United States. Each one of these is supported by, and works for the local community.
Central Westmoreland Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1993 and serves all of Westmoreland County south of Route 22 as well as Murrysville, Export, Delmont, and Derry.
WHO WE HELP
The three criteria to qualify for a Habitat for Humanity home are:
- (1) need for affordable housing
- (2) ability to repay a Habitat for Humanity mortgage
- (3) willingness to partner with Habitat for Humanity.
The need for affordable housing is defined by a family income that is below the government-set Low Income Cut-Off (poverty line) for their particular region, and existing living conditions that are inadequate in terms of structure, cost, safety or size. The ratio of shelter expense to total income is also factored.
Ability to repay a Habitat for Humanity mortgage requires that the family has a stable income sufficient to cover the monthly mortgage payments and other expenses that come with home ownership
HOW WE WORK
Through volunteer labour, efficient management and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat for Humanity builds simple, decent homes with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. These homes are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable, no-interest mortgages. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments go into a revolving fund, which is used to build more homes.
Most Habitat for Humanity projects are single dwellings or semi-detached homes, but Habitat for Humanity is expanding its build projects and may include restoration and refurbishments, condominiums and town home style projects in the future.
WHY IT MATTERS
Habitat for Humanity houses are sold to families, not given to them free of charge. In addition, families help to build their own home.
By building homes at low cost, requiring very little or no down payment, and not charging interest on the mortgage, Habitat for Humanity is able to provide an opportunity, or a “hand up”, to buy a home for families that would not otherwise qualify for a conventional mortgage.
The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments go into a fund that is used to build more homes. The more homes that exist, the more cash flow there is available for further building. This “revolving fund for humanity” fuels exponential growth in the number of houses that are built over time.
To learn more about the work of Habitat for Humanity, please visit www.habitat.org.
For more information on Habitat for Humanity Homeownership, please click here.