OUR VISION
A world in which everyone has a decent place to live.
OUR INTERNATIONAL MISSION STATEMENT
Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.
ABOUT PUTNAM COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Putnam County Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization operated on Christian principles that seeks to put God’s love into action by building homes, communities and hope. Putnam County Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. Putnam County Habitat for Humanity was founded on March 1, 2009 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.
ALL ARE WELCOME
Putnam County Habitat for Humanity has an open-door policy: All who believe that everyone needs a decent, affordable place to live are welcome to help with the work, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, political views or any of the other distinctions that too often divide people. In short, Habitat welcomes volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds and also serves people in need of decent housing regardless of race or religion. As a matter of policy, Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliated organizations do not proselytize. This means that Habitat will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must either adhere to or convert to a particular faith, or listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.
ABOUT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL
Founded in Americus, Georgia, USA, in 1976, Habitat for Humanity today operates around the globe and has helped build, renovate and repair more than 600,000 decent, affordable houses sheltering more than 3 million people worldwide.
MORE ABOUT PUTNAM COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
HOW IS PUTNAM COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY FUNDED?
Putnam County Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, fully incorporated charitable organization. Donations provide capital for building affordable houses that will be sold (not given away) to carefully screened families. Putnam County Habitat for Humanity is located at 150 North Oak Street, Ottawa, OH, (at Ottawa Presbyterian Church) and is affiliated with Habitat for Humanity International.
All mortgage payments are recycled back into a special fund as a commitment to build more houses and serve more families. Seed funds come from tax-deductible gifts from individuals, churches, corporations, and service organizations. Other gifts may be in the form of land, materials, and volunteer services.
A tithe from all donations is sent to Habitat for Humanity International's program for housing construction in other countries.
WHO QUALIFIES FOR HABITAT HOUSING?
Potential Habitat partner families live in substandard housing (many definitions), have lower income but yet have a steady source of income to meet the monthly mortgage payment, and are willing to invest significantly in the preparation for home ownership and the construction of their house. This investment is known as "sweat equity."
A HAND UP, NOT A HAND OUT!
Habitat is not a "give-away" program. Partner families invest 350 hours of their own labor--"sweat equity"--in building their home and the homes of others. Their monthly mortgage payments go into a revolving "Fund for Humanity" that is used to build more houses. Additional funding comes from tax-deductible donations of money and materials. Volunteers provide much of the house-building labor, working with the partner families.
BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP
Habitat builds communities by developing partnerships among diverse individuals and groups that help revitalize neighborhoods. Individuals, churches, business, foundations and organizations join together to eliminate poverty housing. Homeowners, volunteers and donors become partners in the work of building houses and building lives.
Habitat is a grass-roots movement. Concerned citizens organize local habitat for Humanity affiliates. Affiliates direct and control their local Habitat building projects. Each affiliate is responsible for fund-raising, family selection, house construction, and more. Habitat has active affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 100 nations worldwide.
