Statements
Mission
Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury, (HFHWM),Seeking to put God's love into action, HFHWM brings people together to build and improve places to call home.
*HFHWM has a Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency
Background
HFHWM has been collaborating with our community to create partnerships for residents in need of safe, affordable housing opportunities for the past 30 years. Numerous studies show the positive correlation between homeownership and the long-term success of both individuals and the community at large including generating business for the local economy, higher civic engagement, and better health and educational outcomes for homeowners and their families. The work of HFHWM is accomplished through two programs; Our Home Build Program and Critical Home Repair Program.
The Home Build Program is a partnership between HFHWM, community sponsors, and volunteers who build homes alongside future homeowners. The homes are then sold with affordable mortgages to qualifying families who have completed HFHWM's Homeowner Education and Financial Literacy Programs. In addition, future homeowners must put in up to 280 hours building on their home and the homes of other participants must save for closing costs, and must maintain their income, debt-income ratios, and good credit standing. The Critical Home Repair Program provides repairs to keep homeowners safe and comfortable, and to prevent them from being displaced as they and their homes age. The goal is to mitigate needed repairs to prevent the home from falling into unlivable conditions over time. Low-income residents apply and are vetted and approved by the Critical Home Repair Manager. Critical repairs vary in scope and may include unsafe roof or floor, lack of heat, electrical hazards, plumbing hazards, weatherization, ramps and accessibility needs, and interior/exterior work needed to maintain the home. The process is life-changing for the families immediately and for generations to come.
We were established in 1992 and sold our first house in 1993. Since then, we have built over 300 homes. Initially, we built 1 or 2 homes per year, but that number has grown to 8 to 12 new homes per year for the last 5 years. We operate in Williamson and Maury Counties of Middle Tennessee and are currently building in Columbia. Our Craftsman-styled homes are built to high-level energy-saving standards to reduce environmental impact and minimize long-term utility costs for the homeowner. Also, for every home we build here in Middle Tennessee, we tithe overseas to build a home in a developing country. We build in countries like Haiti, Thailand, Mozambique, Fiji, and Lesotho where many families have been ravaged by AIDS.
Impact
HFHWM is the largest provider of affordable home ownership opportunities for low-to moderate-income families in Williamson and Maury Counties of Middle Tennessee. HFHWM helps strengthen families and communities by empowering qualifying families to work in partnership with volunteers and sponsors to move from substandard living conditions to home ownership. HFHWM educates partner families to become successful first-time home owners; constructs energy-efficient homes to reduce long-term utility costs; and improves stability for families and neighborhoods through safe, affordable housing. Research shows that benefits to homeowners include: improved safety and security for their families and their neighborhoods; improved health for family members; improved educational performance and better behavior among their children; and enhanced civic and political participation.
Accomplishments from the past year: HFHWM built 9 new homes in the past 2 years along with 30 critical home repairs . These homes helped 20 children and 39 adults obtain affordable home ownership and safe living conditions.
Goals for the coming year: We plan to build 10 new homes for families in need and complete 20 critical home repair projects, serving a total of 30 families.
Needs
Our greatest needs include:
* Financial sponsorship for the cost of building materials to construct our energy-efficient, affordable homes.
* Committed volunteers to aid in home construction, provide home buyer education classes, and help at our ReStore retail store, as well as fundraising and administrative support .
* Financial support for home buyer education and foreclosure prevention programs.
* Funding to develop a 2-3 year reserve of land to build on in our service area (Williamson and Maury Counties in Tennessee).
* Financial support to update information technology hardware, software, and network applications to current standards.
Board Chair Statement
"Her favorite description of Habitat is the phrase "a hand up, not a handout." Habitat gives more than a house, they give a home. For most people, homes conjure visions of safety and security. That's what Habitat provides to qualifying families. It's more than a house, it's financial counseling, it's lessons on the unexpected parts of owning a home, it's the appreciation instilled by the 200+ hours of "sweat equity" each homeowner must dedicate prior to completing the program. And each time a homeowner completes the program, they change the direction of their entire family for generations." -Kim Varga, President of the Board of Directors
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Housing, Shelter - Housing Development, Construction & Management |
| Secondary Category: | Community Improvement, Capacity Building - Community & Neighborhood Development |
| Tertiary Category: | Education - Adult Education |
Areas Served
HFHWM serves families in all of Williamson and Maury Counties of Middle Tennessee. Build locations are dependent on land availability and community sponsors. We are currently building in Columbia, TN.
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Maury |
