Mission & History

Our mission

Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.

Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliated organizations will not proselytize. Nor will Habitat work with entities or individuals who insist on proselytizing as part of their work with Habitat. This means that Habitat will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition 1) that people must adhere or convert to a particular faith or 2) listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.

In this video: Habitat for Humanity Capital Region homeowners talk about what "home" means to them. "To me, a home should be something that protects you and keeps you safe."

Habitat for Humanity Capital Region has been building strength, stability, self-reliance, and shelter since 1987.

History

Habitat for Humanity was established in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller. The Fullers wanted to address poverty housing on a global scale through “partnership housing”. The Fullers' concept of partnership housing centers on those in need of adequate shelter working side-by-side with volunteers to build simple, decent houses. Habitat’s no profit and no interest financing is affordable. And the “Fund for Humanity” (homeowner mortgage payments, no-profit loans, and fundraising dollars) provides the capital needed to build.

Habitat for Humanity Lansing was established in 1987 by a group of passionate volunteers. These volunteers worked tirelessly to fundraise, acquire land, select homebuyers, and manage all of the logistics to build the first Habitat homes in Lansing. In 2016, Habitat Lansing merged with Habitat Greater Ingham County to become Habitat for Humanity Capital Region. In 2023, Habitat Capital Region merged with Clinton-Gratiot Habitat for Humanity and continues building homes, operating two successful ReStores, and expanding the program to critical home repair and accessibility ramps.

Today Habitat for Humanity has completed more than one million homes around the world, completing the construction or repair of a home at the rate of every 5.5 minutes.

Our Principles

Demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ

We undertake our work to demonstrate the love and teachings of Jesus, acting in all ways in accord with the belief that God’s love and grace abound for all, and that we must be “hands and feet” of that love and grace in our world. We believe that, through faith, the miniscule can be multiplied to accomplish the magnificent, and that, in faith, respectful relationships can grow among all people.

Focus on shelter

We have chosen, as our means of manifesting God’s love, to create opportunities for all people to live in decent, durable shelter. We put faith into action by helping to build, renovate or preserve homes, and by partnering with others to accelerate and broaden access to affordable housing as a foundation for breaking the cycle of poverty.

Advocate for affordable housing

In response to the prophet Micah’s call to do justice, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God, we promote decent, affordable housing for all, and we support the global community’s commitment to housing as a basic human right. We will advocate for just and fair housing policy to eliminate the constraints that contribute to poverty housing. And, in all of our work, we will seek to put shelter on hearts and minds in such powerful ways that poverty housing becomes socially, politically and religiously unacceptable.

Promote dignity and hope

We believe that no one lives in dignity until everyone can live in dignity. We believe that every person has something to contribute and something to gain from creating communities in which all people have decent, affordable places to live. We believe that dignity and hope are best achieved through equitable, accountable partnerships.

Support sustainable and transformational development

We view our work as successful when it transforms lives and promotes positive and lasting social, economic and spiritual change within a community; when it is based on mutual trust and fully shared accomplishment; and when it demonstrates responsible stewardship of all resources entrusted to us.

Our Impact In The Capital Region So Far

Homes Built

Our homes are built/rehabbed in partnership with Habitat homebuyers who purchase their homes with an affordable mortgage.

Homes Repaired

Our repair program helps homeowners preserve and restore the health and safety of their home.

Ramps Installed

Our accessibility ramp program builds independence, helping people to safely come and go from their home.

Our partners

Corporations, community groups, faith groups, media, and private philanthropic organizations join us each year to help build homes, communities, and hope. We are deeply grateful to our partners who help make building homes, communities, and hope possible.