Habitat World Online


Habitat for Humanity affiliates worldwide work hard to create a window of opportunity for people in need of housing.

Bright Ideas Help Build More Houses

It takes all manner of effort to find ways to meet the housing needs of communities from Antigua and Barbuda to Zimbabwe. In 92 nations worldwide, thousands of Habitat for Humanity affiliates implement Habitat's self-help housing model through innovation, partnerships and creativity. But sometimes old ideas need a new twist or perhaps someone can offer a new approach to building on core principles. From launching a used-car business to organizing a "sleep-out," the efforts mentioned here barely scratch the surface.


	Charlotte County (Fla.) Habitat for Humanity raises funds by selling donated cars. Pictured here on the used-car lot is executive director Ron Thomas, who says, "We're always looking for a diversified income stream."

Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Ron Thomas, executive director at Charlotte County (Fla.) HFH, says his affiliate has a lot to be thankful for. And it's not just the homeowner partner families and compassionate staff, volunteers and donors. He literally has a "lot" to be thankful for--a used car lot.

Thomas says his affiliate is "always looking for a diversified income stream." And that's what led him to the used-car business, which is just getting cranked up. The affiliate sold its first car in February last year, and, 20 used cars later, is a state-recognized, certified automobile dealer.

All vehicles are donated. There is very little overhead in running the operation, he says, and that means much of the $2,500 average sales price goes to build more Habitat houses. Once Thomas accepts a vehicle, it goes to a mechanic where it's inspected to ensure that it's safe to drive. He says that could cost $200. Then the car is cleaned, placed on the lot, advertised and, Thomas says, sold very quickly.

"Our prices are very reasonable," he says. "And that helps us move them quickly, which is our goal."

Thomas says vehicles range in value from $800 to $8,000. He expects to sell at least five to eight each month. Considering the minimal operating expenses, those dollars add up quickly--and that can only enhance the affiliate's drive to build more houses.


Habitat volunteers in Winnipeg, Manitoba, built a mini-house as a hands-on training exercise.

Volunteers Build Mini-house as Training Tool
Habitat for Humanity construction sites are typically populated with unskilled volunteers, which produces quite a challenge for both volunteers and construction leaders.

Basic training on site effectively meets the challenge, but in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Wayne Sage had a different idea. "In order to give volunteers a better understanding and a hands-on approach to their training program, we built a mini-house in our warehouse as a training exercise," he says.

Last year, some 30 to 60 volunteers turned out for six Saturday mornings, during which they worked through every phase of building a house. The trainees set the joists and floors, framed walls, installed trusses and roofing, finished the interior with drywall and vapor barriers, hung doors and windows, and installed siding.

"We find this such a great tool for training, as it allows volunteers to get a better understanding of how each component interrelates to the others," Sage says. And since Winnipeg HFH holds frequent blitz builds, it provides a learning opportunity that is not fraught with the high anxiety of an accelerated build.

When the mini-house was completed, the affiliate sold it as a tool shed, thereby covering the construction costs and adding a touch of Habitat to a supporter's backyard.

Chairs on Parade in North Carolina
Borrowing an idea from Chicago's "Cows on Parade" art exhibit, High Point, N.C.--center of American furniture manufacturing, marketing and retailing--was inspired to mount its own version of the idea with "Furniture on Parade: The Chair Affair."

In a partnership between the local Habitat affiliate and InFurniture Magazine, 10 oversized chairs appeared throughout the streets of High Point last October. The 5' x 4' chairs were sponsored at a cost of between $3,500 and $7,500 each by various companies and organizations, which then had artists decorate the upholstered, high-back chairs. Among other themes, High Point University Art Club decorated a chair for the university.

Proceeds from the sponsorships and the auction will benefit Habitat's local affiliate, HFH of High Point, Archdale and Trinity.

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