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.
habitat for humanity international
Millard and Linda Fuller founded Habitat for Humanity International in 1976 in Americus, a small town in Georgia. Now headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Habitat for Humanity International works throughout the United States through affiliates like Lakeland Habitat for Humanity, one of more than 1,700 affiliates in the USA and 550 international affiliates that build more than 3,000,000 homes throughout the world.
Habitat affiliates are independent, nonprofit organizations that are organized by local citizens and operate with local boards and local volunteers. Volunteers provide most of the labor, and faith-based, corporate and individual donors provide the money, materials and labor necessary to build Habitat homes.
lakeland habitat for humanity
Lakeland Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1990 by a group of concerned individuals who were aware of the international organization and saw the critical need for decent, affordable housing in the city of Lakeland. Lakeland Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing in the city of Lakeland and surrounding areas and to making decent housing for all people a matter of conscience and action.
Habitat works in partnership with families needing adequate shelter to build simple, decent homes. The homes are then sold to Habitat’s partner families at no profit and with no interest charged. Partner families invest hundreds of hours of their own labor into building their homes and the homes of others. Their mortgage payments go into a revolving “Fund for Humanity” that is used to build more homes.
Lakeland Habitat has built 199 homes for qualifying families. In addition, the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative, which began in 2012, has completed 336 home repairs for Veterans, elderly and low-income homeowners. Our Veterans’ Home Repair Program has served 82 Veterans. We have completed 300 ramps for our physically disabled homeowners. We our home repair programs we have made a positive impact in our community by allowing families to remain in a safe home environment.