Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ)
What
is Holy Cross Habitat for Humanity?
Holy Cross Habitat for Humanity is a completely student-run
organization that strives to be “men and women for others”
through the works of Habitat for Humanity. HC Habitat
is active in Worcester on some weekends throughout the
year as well as the entire country through the Collegiate
Challenge Spring Break program. In existence as
a recognized chapter since 1999, Holy Cross has received
national recognition as the college or university that
sends the most students away on spring break.
How
can I get involved with HC Habitat for Humanity?
Each year during the Co-Curricular Extravaganza, HC Habitat
is there to answer any questions about how to get involved
and to sign up new members. Recruiting for the spring
break program begins in late September which gives students
another chance to get involved. Otherwise, check
out the campus-wide emails about HC Habitat events!
Involvement is easy. For Worcester day volunteers,
it is just a sign-up sheet. For the spring break
program, students complete an application of just a few
short response questions.
How
much does the Collegiate Challenge program cost at HC?
The actual cost of Collegiate Challenge Spring Break trips
vary each year at Holy Cross depending on the costs of
the vans, sites and food. Currently, the price is
around $300 per participant. HC Habitat for Humanity
gives students the methods to raise the costs of the trips
through a letter-writing campaign so that more will learn
about the program and the students will not have to pay
their own costs. In addition, a few scholarships
are available each year for students unable to meet the
costs.
What
is Habitat for Humanity International?
Habitat for Humanity International is a non-profit, ecumenical
Christian housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate
poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to
make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.
Habitat invites people from all walks of life to work
together in partnership to help build houses with families
in need. Habitat has built over 100,000 houses around
the world, providing some 500,000 people in more than
2,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.
HFHI was started in 1976 by Milliard Fuller, along with
his wife Linda.
How
does it work?
Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations of
money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates
simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner)
families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families
at no profit and are financed with affordable, no-interest
loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments enter
a revolving Fund for Humanity to build more houses. Habitat
carries out its mission at the community level through
independent, locally-run groups called affiliates. Affiliates
around the world raise the funds used to construct houses.
Some affiliates in developing countries also receive funding
grants from Habitat for Humanity International.
All
Habitat affiliates are asked to tithe - to give 10 percent
of their contributions to fund house-building work in
other nations. Habitat is not a give-away program.
In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage
payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their
own labor - "sweat equity" - into building their Habitat
house and the houses of others.
What
does a Habitat house cost?
Throughout the world, the cost of houses varies from as
little as $700 in some developing countries to an average
of $42,500 in the United States. In Worcester, the
average Habitat home costs around $65,000. Habitat
houses are affordable for low-income families because
there is no profit included in the sale price and no interest
charged on the mortgage. Mortgage length varies from 7
to 30 years.
How
are the partner families selected?
Families in need of decent shelter apply to local Habitat
affiliates. The affiliate's family selection committee
chooses homeowners based on their level of need, their
willingness to become partners in the program and their
ability to repay the no-interest loan. Every affiliate
follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection.
Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the
families who receive Habitat houses.
Where
does Habitat for Humanity International operate?
There are nearly 1,900 active affiliates located in all
50 states of the United States, the territories of Guam
and Puerto Rico, and in 63 other countries around the
world. Habitat is a grass-roots movement. Concerned
citizens from all walks of life come together as volunteers
to form an HFHI affiliate in their community. Fund raising,
house construction, family selection and other key decisions
are carried out by the local affiliates. HFHI's headquarters
office, located in Americus, GA, provides information,
training and a variety of other support services to Habitat
affiliates worldwide.
How
can I become a volunteer?
To volunteer where you live, use HFHI’s affiliate search
engine to find contact information for your local affiliate.
Other opportunities to support Habitat's work also are
available - see HFHI’s
Web site. Or, in Worcester, you can contact
Greater
Worcester Habitat for Humanity or Holy Cross Habitat
for Humanity for more ways to get involved.
How
can I get more information?
For additional information, visit Habitat for Humanity
International’s web page at www.habitat.org
or write or call the following:
Habitat
for Humanity International
121 Habitat Street
Americus, GA 31709-3498
(912) 924-6935
-or-
Holy
Cross Habitat for Humanity
1 College Street, Box 4A
Worcester, MA 01610
(508) 793-2414
