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About Habitat for Humanity International:
Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian
housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness
from the world, 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. Habitat has built
more than 85,000 houses around the world, providing some 425,000 people in
more than 2,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.
Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and renovates 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 homeowner's monthly mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses. Habitat carries out its mission at the community level through organized groups that we call affiliates. Affiliates around the world raise the funds used to construct houses. Some affiliates in developing countries also receive funding grants from Habitat for Humanity International.
Habitat is not a giveaway 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.
Our Boston University campus chapter works with local affiliates in the Greater Boston area and with the larger Habitat community to help achieve these goals. Founded in 1995, our chapter regularly participates in build trips throughout Massachusetts, donating our time and labor to achieving the goal of affordable housing for all. We also have group meetings throughout the school year, special programs and events every semester to raise awareness for Habitat and its cause, and we annually send a group of twenty or so student volunteers on an alternative Collegiate Challenge program during the week of Spring Break.
Although Habitat for Humanity International is a Christian organization, the BU Habitat chapter is a secular group and welcomes student volunteers of any faith, creed, or lack thereof. The only thing we ask of participants that they share an interest in contributing to Habitat's cause of providing housing for those in need. All students of Boston University are welcome to attend our meetings and volunteer with us. No experience is required to build! There is no group membership fee.