History

Our History

We are a non-profit, ecumenical, Christian ministry that builds simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with those in need. Incorporated in August 1990, we immediately began operations, completing our first home in September 1991. Since then, we have completed 40 homes in the Baytown Community alongside families in need offering them a hand up and restoring the hope and dignity they deserve.

The driving force behind our organization is its volunteers – those who contribute a day, a week, or a few months, to give Habitat’s vision a tangible form. Volunteers, joining with the future homeowner families, provide virtually all house-building labor.

Individuals, religious organizations, corporations, and local civic groups that support Habitat’s mission also provide tax-deductible donations of money and materials that make our work possible.Habitat does not build houses for families; it makes alongside those who demonstrate the need and willingness to partner with Habitat. Homeowner families invest hundreds of hours of “sweat equity” labor into the houses. Their monthly mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity to help fund the construction of more homes. Through this approach, Habitat gives partner families a hand up, restoring the hope and dignity that poverty can strip away.Habitat worksites are places to build relationships as well as houses. Modeled on biblical principles, our self-help solution to the blight of substandard housing is popular with people from many political, professional, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. This is the essence of Habitat’s “theology of the hammer,” which invites diverse individuals to find common ground in using a hammer and sharing a goal.