Domestic tithe reaches more than 1,100 international families in 2011

By Julia Sellers

	An Our Towns HFH build site in Guatemala

Oct. 27, 2011 — Like any good exercise, tithing is a lesson in discipline for Habitat affiliates that offers returns that can’t always be quantified.

“Tithe is part of your story,” said Terry Laney, executive director of Our Towns HFH in North Carolina. “It helps people get involved and engaged. It lets people know where their donations are going.”

Habitat affiliates are encouraged to donate a tenth of what they raise in undesignated funds in support of building in another country. It encourages all programs to participate in the international effort to eliminate global poverty.

Habitat’s top 75 tithing affiliates, including Our Towns, have served about 1,100 families, raising $5,221,731 in the 2011 fiscal year.

The program allows Habitat’s international building to remain firm even in times of fiscal uncertainty. The program is also a message to volunteers and donors that they aren’t just supporting one homeowner or one affiliate, but multiple families.

Ken Cross, Sacramento HFH CEO, said although the affiliate’s contributed to 254 homes globally, he uses every home dedication and office tour to show Sacramento, California’s impact goes beyond 245 doors.

“There are two, and three, and four children in some of these homes. It’s not just about mom and dad, but about future generations and providing a place for a child to be off the streets, bring their friends home and not be ashamed about where they live,” he said.

Since 2003, Our Towns and Laney’s staff make a concerted effort at speaking engagements to include their global mission and share stories of the international families they’ve served, too. From 2003 to 2005, the affiliate doubled its local builds to 15 homes yearly, increased Guatemala builds to 45 homes yearly and also built 15 homes in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

Even when restricted cash flow prevented Our Towns from tithing from Jan. 2009 to May 2010, Laney said, the board continued to keep track of what they owed because it was “God’s money.”

“During that time we continued our (Global Village) trip to Guatemala. We’d gone through 15 iterations of our budget that year. While on that trip, though, our Guatemala partners tithed $35,000 back to Our Towns because they saw our need,” Laney said.

During a summer 2010 home dedication, Our Towns announced it would be able to meet its past tithe of $126,000. The affiliate also went on to top its own local numbers, serving 20 families in one year for the first time.

“As an affiliate, you have to know that what you’re doing is watering seeds everyday and you’ll see those seeds come to fruition. Tithe isn’t an immediate response, but people are so focused on instant gratification that they miss out on giving a continuing blessing,” Laney said.

Helpful links:

• How a Habitat affiliate becomes a strong tithe partner.
• Top tithing affiliates in 2011.

Julia Sellers is a writer/editor for Program Communications at Habitat for Humanity International, based in Americus, Georgia.