WHAT IS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF TOWNS/UNION COUNTIES?
We are a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. We seek to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness in Towns and Union Counties and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people from all walks of life to work together in partnership to help build houses with families in need. In 2006, we built our sixth house and have provided thirty people with safe, decent affordable shelter.

WHEN DID HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF TOWNS/UNION BEGIN?
The idea for our local affiliate began when a group of Young Harris College students went to Asheville to build a house. Then in 1995, a group of Towns and Union Counties' residents began the process of applying to Habitat for Humanity International for affiliate recognition. The official recognition came in 1996.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat builds simple decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit, financed with affordable, no-interest loans.

The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses. We carry out the mission of Habitat at the community level by raising the funds and organizing the volunteers used to construct houses on the local level.

Habitat is not a give-away program. In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor--sweat equity--into building their house and the houses of others.

WHO CONTROLS AND MANAGES HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF TOWNS/UNION COUNTIES?
An ecumenical Board of Directors determines policy and oversees and guides the mission of our affiliate. Board members are dedicated volunteers who are deeply concerned about the problems of poverty housing in our area.

HOW DOES HABITAT WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT?
Our affiliate does not accept government funds for the construction of new houses. We will accept government funds for the acquisition of land and funding for streets, utilities and administrative expenses, so long as the funds have no conditions that would violate Habitat's principles or limit our ability to proclaim our Christian witness.