www.nwmetroatlantahabitat.org
About Us
About Habitat for Humanity International Founded in Americus, Georgia, USA, in 1976, Habitat for Humanity International, Inc. today operates around the globe and has helped build, renovate and repair more than 800,000 decent, affordable homes sheltering more than five million people worldwide. Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Metro Atlanta helped to accomplish this goal by building over 400 homes in its service area – Cobb, Douglas and Paulding counties – and by building the same number of homes in Uganda, the country it selected as its international tithing partner.
Our Mission
Building Homes, Communities and Hope Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta seeks to put God’s love into action by building homes, communities and hope. Habitat for Humanity was founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a simple, durable place to live in dignity and safety, and that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all.
Becoming a Sponsor
Sponsors fund all or a significant part of the building materials for a Habitat house. They provide volunteers, water/drinks and lunch. We always need sponsors and we are committed to making the experience a fantastic one for you and your team.
Why Sponsor a House? Sponsorship has many benefits, both tangible and intangible. Sponsorship dollars are leveraged. Your team is energized by these large-scale, communityoriented volunteer builds and is strengthened by working together to accomplish a goal. Builds attract attention through traditional media, networking and social media. Neighborhoods are improved by development that brings positive transformative energy and activity. Individual families are given the opportunity to live the American dream by owning a home and by discovering the transforming value of true neighborhood living. Perhaps most significantly, the contribution made by the sponsor impacts not just a single family, but the community for generations to come.
Ways To Get Involved
Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenical Christian housing organization. We invite people of all faiths to join our mission to build and renovate simple, decent and affordable homes. By supporting the work of this affiliate, you can make it possible to achieve a world where someday everyone will have a decent place to call home!
People and organizations can fund some or all of a house. Sponsors provide volunteers for building teams. Individuals can join the “gray ghosts” who ensure each building site is ready for the volunteers when they arrive for work. In addition, we accept one-time donations, recurring donations, funds toward building supplies, in-kind contributions and more! If you have a unique idea, contact our office. Habitat’s work is made possible by supporters like you who are committed to the cause of fighting poverty housing.
Homeowners
To purchase a Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Metro Atlanta home, applicants must be US citizens or permanent legal residents who currently live or work in Cobb, Douglas or Paulding county and have done so for at least one year. Applicants must also be first-time homebuyers who have lived independently for the past year. In addition, they must demonstrate that their present housing is not adequate and that they are unable to obtain adequate housing through other conventional means.
Expectations of Homeowners Applicants must prove a steady source of income and show good credit while demonstrating a positive monthly cash flow. Any charged-off debts or debts in collection must be $250 or less. Bankruptcy must have been discharged for three years, or if it was dismissed, applicants must have paid off all related debts. Habitat for Humanity homeowners are required to contribute 100 hours of labor to the construction of another Habitat home and an additional 100 hours toward their own home. In the Habitat community, this is known as “sweat equity.� Habitat partner homeowners also are required to attend financial and homeownership classes, prior to purchasing the house, in order to learn about caring for and budgeting for their first home. Homeowners finance their home through a no-interest mortgage provided by Habitat, which they are expected to pay just like any other homeowner. All homeowners are expected to properly maintain their property, make their mortgage payments on time and become valuable members of their community. Habitat builds quality houses and it develops successful first-time homeowners.
Volunteers
Built By Volunteers Habitat homes are built by volunteers with oversight provided by our Construction Department, trained House Leaders and skilled Crew Leaders. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, from high school students to CEOs to pastors to retirees. They volunteer for many different reasons, including putting religious beliefs into action, giving back to the community, learning practical home maintenance skills, staying physically active and supporting affordable housing. With help from the “gray ghosts� and a few professional subcontractors, these volunteers build a home in eight weeks. They and the sponsors are celebrated and thanked at a customized Dedication Ceremony that usually takes place two to three weeks after the last day of the build. At this ceremony the house is officially dedicated to the homeowner.
Building Green Homes Our green building program follows a systems approach to home building that stresses an understanding of how the different components of a home work together. All of our homes are built using “green building” practices that minimize the impact of construction on the environment and result in a healthy, more valuable home. Our craftsman-style homes have planned “Streetscape” landscaping. The homes have three or four bedrooms and two baths; the average size is approximately 1450 square feet. Green built homes perform better, are more economical for homeowners to operate and cost little more to build than a comparable home built using standard construction practices.
Serving Cobb, Douglas & Paulding Counties 1625 Spring Road SE • Smyrna, GA 30080 Phone: 770.432.7954 • Fax: 770.431.4822 info@NWMetroAtlantaHabitat.org
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